The Cleveland Guardians started the season strong, but there’s no sign of that team anymore. They went just 9-16 in their last 25 games, and they ranked last in every offensive category in June.
That has put the team two games below .500 and almost out of the AL Central Division race. Their offensive struggles have been just too much to overcome, even with solid pitching.
However, this didn’t start in June. According to MLB analyst Albert Belle, this has everything to do with their decision to trade Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the offseason.
Analyst says the Guardians miss Josh Naylor
“[Josh] Naylor hit almost .300 last year, and he’s hitting .300 with the Diamondbacks. He finally found his little niche. The Guardians were complaining about his weight and his defense, but that was going to come in time. I think that was kind of the start of the snowball effect. You wanted to pay Shane Bieber to basically be a cheerleader and rehab all season. You gave him 14 [million], and then you didn’t want to give Naylor 12 [million], so I thought that was the start of the downfall,” Belle said on ESPN Cleveland.
Unfortunately, that’s just how small-market teams operate at times. The Guardians think about finances first, and that led to a decision they’ve now come to regret.
The trade deadline is now zooming in, and if the Guardians want to have a slight shot at making the playoffs, they will desperately need to find someone to make up for Naylor’s loss.
