5 Guardians hitters entering the most important month of their careers

The Guardians are entering July in an incredibly familiar place.

The offense is sputtering and there seems to be questions if the team will buy or sell at the deadline, yet they're still right in the middle of the American League postseason picture.

For the third straight season, the Guardians have a chance to win the division with their current roster, but likely won't make a ton of noise in the playoffs.

With that mind, here are five Guardians hitters who need to get going soon before their roster spot becomes more of a question mark. 

Kyle Manzardo and Rhys Hoskins

The first players on this list are currently splitting time at first.

The organization's faith in Manzardo is one of many factors that led them to being comfortable trading away Josh Naylor, while Hoskins looked like a great free agent signing.

Neither player has had a very good first half. Manzardo is hitting .239 with just 29 RBI on the season, and has hit just .209 over the past 14 days. Hoskins has been even worse with an average under the Mendoza Line, and the last month has been more of the same.

It seems to be unlikely that the team will move off of Manzardo, but if neither player gets going, it may be time for an uncomfortable conversation. 

Daniel Schneemann

Schneemann started the season on fire and it was looking like he would be an everyday player. However, that dream has hit a huge roadblock over the past couple months thanks to his extreme struggles (.161 batting average since the start of May).

his His versatility will likely keep him on the roster, but playing time may become sparse. There also seems to be a logjam starting to form in the outfield.

After a slow start Kahlil Watson has found his footing, Chase Delauter is healthy and Cooper Ingle is getting his first shot with the big league club. This depth creates a situation where the team may be willing to move off of somebody like Schneeman sooner than expected. 

David Fry and Steven Kwan

At this time two years ago, Fry and Kwan were on their way to Arlington for the All-Star game and it seemed like the Guardians had found two key pieces for many years to come. But everything has gone sideways since.

Fry has dealt with multiple injuries, and it seems unlikely that he'll ever regain half the form that he had in 2024. While Kwan’s glove is still elite, his bat has become a major liability in the lineup.

It's foolish to believe that either player will come close to their All-Star form of yesteryear, but they need to show that they can at least be an average major league option at the plate. Either of the staying in Cleveland for the long haul is looking more and more like a fairy tale. 

Cleveland finds themselves in a very familiar situation and it is time to make some tough decisions. José Ramírez and Angel Martínez will each require a roster spot when they return from the injured list, and it's getting to a point where the Guardians may need to move off some foundational pieces to make room for them on the roster.

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