As Cleveland Guardians’ Myles Straw struggles, Will Brennan rises

The Cleveland Guardians didn’t trade for Myles Straw’s bat. The front office viewed him as an automatic out in center field. If an opposing batter hits him the ball. They’re out.

The advanced defensive metrics agree. Straw is the best center field in the American League, according to FanGraphs.

Unfortunately, that’s not the only automatic out Straw accounts for these days. Each Straw plate appearance seems worse than the previous one. No one is expecting Straw to hit like prime Grady Sizemore, but he’s three days away from wrapping up his second month hitting below the Mendoza line.

Even worse than his ability to hit,  is his on-base percentage. It’s .209 for June and was .286 for May. As stated, the Guards didn’t get him for his bat, but sheesh, how much longer can they continue trotting him out there–especially with prospect Will Brennan tearing up Triple-A Columbus. He was batting .343 (.904 OPS) for the Clippers this season. He also had 61 RBIs in 61 games.

Brennan, 24, is currently ranked as Cleveland’s 29th best prospect. He’s certainly outperforming that ranking right now.

Cleveland Guardians will keep going with Straw after extension

I’m not ready to write Straw off completely, yet, I just don’t know how much longer the Guards can go with Straw serving as an automatic out in the lineup. They’re already doing it at catcher. Throw Ernie Clement in the lineup, which Tito likes to do a few times per week, and that’s 1/3 of the batting order that probably isn’t going to produce.

We all know by now, but the Guardians will sacrifice offense for a stout defense up the middle. And with Straw signing a $25 million extension at the beginning of the season, Cleveland is going to give him every chance to come out this abyss.

Straw needs to get back to his career averages,.249 and .331 (OBP), to be able to live with him in the lineup, and based off two months of at-bats, he’s a long way from from that form.

If he can’t hit, Will Brennan’s name will become better known, especially as the Clippers continue to post clips of him making play after play, day after day.

The Guardians shipped Phil Maton and a catching prospect, Yanier Diaz to Houston for Straw. Diaz is batting .316 with 48 RBIs in 57 games at Class AA. MLB.com lists him as their 14th best prospect.