Oscar Gonzalez crushing his Cleveland Guardians tryout
With Franmil Reyes going on the Injured List, the Cleveland Guardians needed a bat and farmhand Oscar Gonzalez got the call.
On the surface level, his promotion looked to be nothing more than a 10-day tryout with the Guards. This being the case because the organization was never really high on the power-hitting outfielder. If you’re looking for proof, look no further than the Guardians’ front office leaving Gonzalez off the 40-man roster, which exposed him to every other club in baseball for the Rule 5 draft last winter.
From what various members of the Cleveland media have talked about, the organization wasn’t fast tracking him for Cleveland because he didn’t walk enough, while striking out too many times–not at a Bobby Bradley level, but enough to warrant concern of his potential success in the big leagues.
It’s been frustrating for fans, because Gonzalez is one of the few prospects actually hitting home runs–an asset desperately needed on the parent club.
At the time of his promotion, Gonzalez was hitting .282 with nine homers, eight doubles, two triples, 33 RBIs and an .814 OPS in 41 games with Triple-A Columbus. He got better with those strikeout issues, fanning just 26 times in 41 games with the Clippers, compared to 112 punch outs in 121 games during his 2021 season.
The early results are pleasing, with Gonazlez going 7-of-16 with two doubles (1.001 OPS). He has three multi-hit games in his first four contests. The last Cleveland’s batsman to accomplish this? You’d have to go back to the Roosevelt administration, when Roy Weatherly accomplished the fete in 1936.
OK, curbing my enthusiasm. It’s four games. Bobby Bradley looked like a stud in his first week with the club.
Next. 5 players Guards have already given up on. dark
But when you consider your front office wasn’t that high on you to begin with, every with every great outing, Gonzalez makes it harder for his bosses to keep ignoring him.