The health of Mike Zunino means far more to the Cleveland Guardians than just on-field production

The Cleveland Guardians need Mike Zunino to be healthy for 2023 and not just for his on-field play.

The Cleveland Guardians made some big splashes this off-season when they signed Mike Zunino and Josh Bell to fortify catcher and first base respectively. Bell was added to help bolster the lineup specifically, as the team had some good players at the position already in Josh Naylor and since recently traded Owen Miller. Bell’s signing was the team trying to add some pop to the lineup.

Zunino, on the other hand, wasn’t just added for the power in his bat, which he has, he was added for a completely different reason. Unlike at first, where the team has some depth, there is no depth at the catcher position. The team relied on defensive-minded catcher Austin Hedges for the last few seasons, which was great for the team’s defense and pitching, but a disaster for the offense.

In fact, save for one power season from Roberto Hernandez, the team hasn’t had any consistent offense at the position since Yan Gomes left the club. That’s all expected to change once Bo Naylor, brother of Josh, is ready to be called up. The problem is, he’s not ready and the team needed a stopgap at the position that was an offensive upgrade over Hedges but wouldn’t stand in the way when Naylor was ready.

Enter Zunino.

Mike Zunino has to stay healthy for the Cleveland Guardians

Zunino is still recovering from a major injury that sidelined him in 2022 and stunted his season. He had issues with his arm that limited him to just 36 games. While never a great hitter, his power has made him a desirable piece. Yet, his impact on the team’s offense is second to his impact on the team’s plans.

A healthy Zunino, who if he plays as well in 2023 as he did in 2021, will mean that Bo Naylor will not need to be rushed to the Major League level anytime soon. The team doesn’t have anyone really ready to replace Zunino if he goes down, despite their attempts to find a second major-league-ready catcher. Well, finding one isn’t hard, finding one who can hit with power, call a strong game behind the plate and be good on defense is hard.

This is why giving Naylor all the time he needs to develop is the way to go. Once he’s ready, he could very well be the next great catcher in the league (or not, who knows). Zunino’s health and production will impact not just the lineup’s production but the decisions the front office makes.

That’s a tall order, but Zunino appears ready for it.