The Cleveland Guardians 2023 season is over, and, in a nutshell, it seems like a rather confusing season for outsiders.
Sometimes, words don’t do describing something justice. Overall, the Cleveland Guardians 2023 season is one that could certainly fall under that category.
After a 2022 campaign that saw them finish one win away from an American League Championship Series bid, the 2023 campaign turned into a disappointment.
Overall, Cleveland finished with a 76-86 mark, a full 16-game drop off against 2022’s win total.
One thing clear from the get-go was that the offense took a major step back and was inconsistent throughout the year.
But this is a team who is young and going through growing pains. Thus, it is okay for a step back after success. Teams will need to learn from the mistakes.
For more on a team with a similar win total, check out the latest on the Washington Nationals.
So what is there to learn and what to look forward to for the Cleveland Guardians? Let’s take a dive in (but not into Lake Erie)…
Offense Posts Down Year After Exciting 2022
After turning in one of the better campaigns in 2022, Cleveland’s offense went in the wrong direction this season.
For a team who has an average age of just under 27, this is a young offensive unit. Thus, fans can expect some disappointment and experiences of growth. But some of the statistics that fell are rather disappointing to fans.
Taking a look at the full statistics, the Guardians finished middle to bottom in hits in the Junior Circuit overall on offense. Fourth worst in runs (662), seventh in hits and batting average (1379/.250), 10th in on-base percentage (.313), 14th in slugging percentage (.381), and 12th in OPS (.694).
Young Guys Find a Leader in Ramirez
One of the team leaders on offense for Cleveland is 3B Jose Ramirez. Ramirez, coming off of his fifth All-Star selection (and third consecutive All-Star appearance), is emerging into the de facto team captain and an intriguing power threat.
Jose knocked out 24 bombs (making 216 for his career), drove in 80, and carried a .282/.356/.475 slash line. Ramirez has hit 20 or more home runs in six of the last seven seasons, and he still hit 17 in the shortened season. Not only that, but with the way he plays, Ramirez is turning himself into a perennial MVP candidate.
One Young Guy Emerging into a Star
Sometimes, a team will need to look toward an unsung hero. Someone who could be in that category for the Guardians is 1B Josh Naylor. The Canadian native put together a career-best season in multiple categories. In just 121 games, Naylor totaled a personal best with a .308 batting average, 139 hits, 97 RBIs, 31 doubles, .354 on-base percentage, and a .489 slugging percentage.
Josh is also turning into a guy who can hit for average and power. In the last two seasons, Naylor has hit 37 home runs. In fact, 44 of his 53 career home runs have come in Cleveland.
Young Pitching Staff
What the offense brings for youth, the pitching complements. The average age of the pitching staff is just over 26 years old.
Looking at the statistics put together by the young staff, one thing immediately noticeable is the approach to pitching. The young crew appears to be a pitch-to-contact style. Cleveland had the third-fewest strikeouts in the Junior Circuit with 1311.
Other stats show Cleveland is middle-of-the-pack in ERA (3.96), earned runs given up (635), sixth in innings (1444), and sixth in runs (697).
But when the team wants to shut the game down, their bullpen is dependable. Overall, the Guards had the third-most saves in the AL as a team with 47 in 2023.
Which means that Cleveland Guardians have one of the most dependable closers in the game. That man would be none other than a 25-year-old Dominican Republic native by the name of CP Emmanuel Clase. Clase once again led the Majors with 44 saves. Back-to-back 40-plus save seasons make him one of the better closing pitchers in the game.
Rookie Pitcher Developing into a Star
One pitcher who turned in an impressive rookie season is right-hander SP Tanner Bibee. Bibee looks to be showing signs of being a dependable righty who has plenty of ace potential. In his first season, the 24-year-old put together a 10-4 record with a likeable 2.98 ERA, a 1.176 WHIP, and 141 strikeouts in 142 innings.
Bibee looks to be a premier candidate for the Rookie of the Year award.
Now, Cleveland appears to be earning a nickname as the “factory of pitching”, with how many young arms they are able to develop.
Where do the Guardians Go from Here?
The 2023 season was a rather disappointing and confusing one for the Cleveland Guardians. But there is time to build upon the youth of the time. The pressure is also on to continue to get to the postseason. There are a few ways to go. And there’s also perhaps some money to spend. But ultimately, which way Cleveland goes is up to them. Can Cleveland return to their postseason form in 2024? Only time will tell.
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Nate Powalie is a contributor for Back Sports Page. A 2022 graduate of Ashland University (Ashland, Ohio), Nate has five years of sports writing experience, and has gotten the chance to call sporting events for radio and live stream. Nate also works as a cashier and can be found on Twitter (@PNate22) and Facebook (Nate Powalie).
