CLEVELAND — Last year, you watched a thumpless Cleveland Guardians lineup trudge through the summer.You watched José Ramírez don a Superman cape, yes, but you also watched the unceremonious final chapter of Carlos Santana’s Cleveland storybook. You watched a dejected Nolan Jones slumber through a season-long outfield audition. You watched Lane Thomas limp and slump and limp some more. You watched a whole lot of Bo Naylor, Gabriel Arias and Jhonkensy Noel. You watched Brayan Rocchio earn a first-half demotion. You watched Steven Kwan’s second-half swoon. You watched Johnathan Rodríguez hit cleanup in some of the club’s most critical games. You watched Will Wilson step into the batter’s box 91 times.The 2025 Guardians became a gold standard for overcoming adversity, a team that flipped its season upside down after enduring a 10-game skid and a morale-shattering gambling scandal.Even during their rally to win the American League Central, the Guardians’ lineup lacked punch. They caught the Detroit Tigers by their tails largely because their six-man rotation worked wonders in September.Since the start of last season, there are 60 offenses we can evaluate, a 2025 version and a 2026 version for each team. The 2025 Guardians rank 56th out of 60 in slugging percentage.The 2026 Guardians rank 57th.Sequels never deliver.
Guardians searching for offensive elixir as AL Central lead disappears
Cleveland suffered its first series sweep since last August on Wednesday and has dropped six of the last seven games.
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