Cleveland Guardians 2024 Season
Tyler Freeman fist bumps Oscar Mercado after scoring 2 runs to help the team to victory (Photo: Joe Camporeale).
The start of the 2024 season is almost here and there is a lot to dive into for the Guardians. The goal for every year is to win the World Series, and they have come close many times, most recently in 2016. Now besides almost getting this goal achieved the city of Cleveland hasn't been crowned as champions since 1948, but this year everything could change. With returning stars Jose Ramirez and Shane Bieber, these two could be the leaders, helping teach the young players and make this season one to remember.
The upcoming year has all a champion team needs. The stars are, Jose Ramirez, and Shane Bieber. Jose is coming off another stellar year, batting .282, hitting 24 home runs, and batting in 80 runners. The 5x all-star isn't just known for his bat though, his plays on the field are a reason why he is such a need for the Guardians. He is coming off a 95% success rate from the hot corner which is outstanding.
Jose isn't the only bright spot for the Guardians as Shane Bieber is also a huge contributor to this team. Coming off a little down year for Bieber as he had a 3.80 ERA and a WAR of 1.8. The city of Cleveland and the coaches still have confidence in him that isn't going anywhere soon. Bieber is a 2x all-star and CY Young winner, but the most impressive award he has is the triple crown he won in the 2020 season.
These two stars will be the leaders this young team needs, but they won't be the only ones. Players such as Steven Kwan, Josh Naylor, Tristen McKenzie, Andres Gimenez, and Emmanuel Clase are all returning from last year and are very good players, some could be considered stars as well. Kwan, Naylor, and Gimmenez are all players on the field, Kwan is an outfielder while Naylor and Gimmenez play in the infield. Naylor can struggle at points with defense, but Gimmenez and Kwan are both lockdowns in the field. Now even though Naylor might struggle at points in the field he will always be a bat anyone can rely on. From home runs to just a simple walk Naylor will always find his way on base and be a threat with his bat.
Tristen McKenzie and Emmanuel Clase are both pitchers for the Guardians. Tristen is a starter, and a very good one. He has great pitches and never loses confidence in them, while Emmanuel Clase is a closer for the team and doesn't have as many pitches but the speed he throws is what makes him so dangerous. Both these players are great for the Guardians and huge factors in this team, they both just need to stay consistent.
With all the star players and outstanding hitters with the unhuman-like pitchers, there is still one big thing that the Guardians have that many teams don't, and that's team chemistry. A team like the Dodgers has all the big names, but they don't have the chemistry that the Guardians have.
Cleveland has a system like every other team, single, double, and triple-A. Most players that played for Cleveland today went through this system together so they have known each other for a while, building chemistry and how to play with each other. All of these combined make something that could go amazing for this 2024 season.
Many people doubt the Guardians based on last year's 3rd place finish in what was believed to be the worst division in baseball. But they are a very young team that had a lot to build on this offseason. Picking up some free-agent veterans to teach the younger players could be a big help for them and it could get them the learning experience they need. There are also some of the younger players who are striving in spring training currently and are proving that they need a spot for the opening day roster.
In conclusion, the 2024 year for the Guardians could be a special thing this year and one to remember, they have all the key pieces in their rosters to make something special, but if they don't play the way they can they will have another season like the previous and make many fans and citizens in Ohio very disappointed.