3 studs, duds from 2022 Cleveland Guardians opening series vs Royals
3. Cleveland Guardians dud: Offense in first two games
It must have felt great to breakout in the series finale, because the offense was predictably atrocious in the first two games of the contest. The Royals didn’t exactly beat the cover off the ball, either, but you just knew this was how it was going to go to kick off a new era in Cleveland baseball.
KC was windy and cold on Opening Day. The fans who were there looked like they wish they weren’t. The Guards were going to have cold temps and weather issues to fall back on, and yes, there is something to that point, but two runs in 19 innings?
No one was looking for a reincarnation of ’27 with this young line up, but wow, it’s had to watch when it’s that bad, which made Sunday’s finale all the better.
Anyway, Yu Chang, I’m worried. He went 0-7 in the series with five strikeouts. No one is losing a job after three games, but he’s got to be better if he’s going to be an everyday player.
Owen Miller went 3-6 in the series. I wonder if he ends up being a viable first-base option if Bobby Bradley can’t make contact.
Next. Here's how Guardians are bucking fan expectations. dark
Tying this into Chang, Gabriel Arias is going to be here by June (my guess). Maybe he assumes second, Miller plays first, and Josh Naylor plays right along side Straw and Kwan, assuming the Oklahoma State product keeps cooking at the dish.