Cleveland Indians: 3 players who exceeded expectations in first half

3 Cleveland Indians who exceeded expectations in the first half

The first half of the Major League Baseball season is complete. Whether you count the first half as the first 81 games or all games before the All-Star break, we’ve reached the midway point of the 2021 season. The 2021 MLB Draft is in full swing, as is the All-Star week festivities, but what are teams doing to prepare for the second half?

That process begins with self evaluation and for the Cleveland Indians there have been a ton of highs and just as many lows. From walk-off wins to an injured list that includes nearly every key player the team has, the Tribe have been through it this season.

Despite the bumps and bruises, the Cleveland Indians have been able to hold their ground and will enter the second half within reach of the postseason. A 45-42 record has Cleveland eight games back of the Chicago White Sox and 4.5 back in the Wild Card race. That’s not as great as just a couple weeks ago, but it’s still a doable deficit.

During the first half of the season the Tribe saw the injuries and struggles from the replacements take the headlines. While those surely carried the storyline of the season to this point, the team was able to stay afloat, in large part to other players picking up the slack.

You expect players like Jose Ramirez to be at the top of the league statistically and Shane Bieber to be lights out in more starts than not, but there should always be a few players that go above and beyond their expectations set forth before the season starts.

In the case of Cleveland, these three players were able to do just that. They aren’t All-Stars, but they have already blown past what was expected of them during the 2021 campaign. Now, they just have to carry it over into the second half.

Harold Ramirez, OF, Cleveland Indians

On February 24 the Cleveland Indians claimed outfielder Harold Ramirez off waivers from the Miami Marlins. Cleveland, a team in need of help in the outfield, brought in Ramirez late in the offseason in hopes of finding a depth player. What they got was a diamond in the rough.

Playing two seasons with the Marlins, Ramirez totaled just 122 games in Miami, logging 431 at-bats for the club. He posted respectable numbers with a slash line of .274/.311/.411 with 11 home runs, 20 doubles, 51 RBI and two stolen bases. He was also near perfect in the field with just one error.

However, when it came time to make roster decisions it was Ramirez that was the odd man out in Miami. Luckily, the Tribe jumped at the opportunity to add an outfielder with proven major league experience.

Due to coming on a little later, Ramirez didn’t really have many expectations entering the season from fans in Cleveland. However, after being called up on May 3, Ramirez jumped into action and hasn’t looked back.

In 186 at-bats over 57 games, Ramirez is slashing .280/.325/.457 with six home runs, 13 doubles, 22 RBI and two stolen bases. Those numbers are about on track for what he did in Miami, but since Cleveland didn’t really know what to expect, he’s been able to play freely and blow away fans while securing a spot in the starting lineup.

Ramirez’s  .280 average is currently leading the team and his 13 doubles are tied for third. If he can just keep doing what he’s been doing, he should have a starting spot in Cleveland’s outfield for the foreseeable future.

Emmanuel Clase, RP, Cleveland Indians

Heading into the 2021 season fans of the Cleveland Indians weren’t exactly sure what to expect from Emmanuel Clase. He came to the team through the Corey Kluber trade, but missed all of 2020 due to suspension. Despite entering the season after not playing since 2019 and having only 23.1 innings of major league experience, Clase has burst onto the scene for the Tribe.

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Statistically, Clase has been the Tribe’s best reliever. He has been splitting closer duties with James Karinchak, but Clase has a bit of a leg up on the stat sheet. Posting an ERA of 1.72, Clase leads the Tribe’s bullpen, and entire staff, in the category. He’s also logged a team-high 11 saves and registered 41 strikeouts in 36.2 innings.

Clase’s campaign has been enough to put his name in the American League Rookie of the Year conversation since he still has his rookie status intact. He stumbled a bit in late June and early July, but should be able to resume his craft after the break.

Considering the Texas Rangers got just one inning of Kluber, it seems like the Tribe stole Clase in the trade. If he continues to play at his current level, the team should have a strong backend pitcher for the next five years at least, and potentially their closer as well.