Guardians’ Chase DeLauter and Angel Martinez injuries make trade deadline need very clear originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Cleveland Guardians recently got a string of bad news, as three key players, all core offensive components of the team, were forced out of the lineup.
Chase DeLauter, Jose Ramirez, and Angel Martinez all got hurt recently, each missing time. While DeLauter should be back before the other two, these three injuries have only made the team’s offensive need at the trade deadline all the more dire.
Tim Britton of The Athletic named the Guardians as one of the top-five most urgent teams in need of offensive firepower this summer at the trade deadline. But, more specifically, Britton identified the outfield as the spot to upgrade.
“But despite a really nice rookie season for Chase DeLauter and some solid work by Angel Martinez, the Guards’ outfield is still below league average offensively, and they’re projected to be the sport’s lowest-scoring offense going forward in part because of recent injuries to DeLauter and Jose Ramirez,” Britton writes.
Martinez is going to be out until late June, while Ramirez likely won’t return until late July. Those are some huge injuries to the Guardians’ roster.
Ramirez has been the best hitter for the Guardians this season, with his .757 OPS leading the team. DeLauter, also hurt, is second with a .745 OPS this season.
Martinez is eighth with a .718 OPS, but is just behind Kyle Manzardo and Gabriel Arias at a .719 OPS this season. If those two struggle for one game, the Guardians will have injury issues with three of their top-six best hitters this season.
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But, even now, they’re down their top-two hitters in Ramirez and DeLauter. With an offense that ranks 27th in runs scored (290) and 27th in team OPS (.685), it’s clear this team needs more help offensively this summer.
The outfield is the spot to upgrade, as DeLatuer and Martinez’s injuries have shown just how bleak this outfield looks, especially when factoring in Steven Kwan being a massive disappointment this season.
Mickey Moniak, Jo Adell, Taylor Ward, and any other realistically available outfielders should be high on the Guardians’ list of priorities this season.
While a first baseman or designated hitter would be nice, the outfield is the bigger need for the Guardians thanks to the injuries to DeLauter and Martinez. They might not be lengthy issues right now, but it’s better to be safe than sorry and add another outfielder.
Content Source: Yahoo News
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