Cleveland Guardians had no choice but to send Brayan Rocchio to Triple-A

The Cleveland Guardians made a slight tweak to their major league roster ahead of Monday's 5-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Cleveland optioned shortstop Brayan Rocchio to Triple-A Columbus, while outfielder Will Brennan was recalled to the majors. There were several factors at play here, giving the Guardias no choice but to make some necessary changes.

First off, Rocchio has gotten off to a rough start in 2025, batting 35 points below the Mendoza Line while also having an American League-leading six errors in the field was not going to cut it. Gabriel Arias has proven to be a more valuable option, whether he has a glove on his hand or is holding a bat ready to face an opposing pitcher. This made the decision to send Rocchio down a bit easier.

There was a time not too long ago that the Guardians would have let this play out further, allowing a player to continue to be a net negative in every facet of the game and there being virtually no threat to his spot on the major league roster. Sending Rocchio down in the second week of May shows that this knows what is and what is not acceptable.

The ripple effect of bringing back Will Brennan and sending Brayan Rocchio to Triple-A

This goes beyond Rocchio and Arias, as the reintegration of Brennan into the equation also signals some potential future changes in Cleveland's outfield personnel. There is no threat to Steven Kwan in left field, and Angel Martinez has shown he can be a productive bat in place of the injured but soon-to-return Lane Thomas. Brennan still has to prove he can provide moderate production at the plate, but with Kwan, Martinez, and Thomas seemingly locks for playing time, the attention now turns to the rest of Cleveland's outfield.

Nolan Jones seems safe for the time being, as he is out of minor league options, and the Guardians believe his luck at the plate should turn around in the near future. Jhonkensy Noel, on the other hand, could be the odd man out in Cleveland's outfield group. Noel lacks the positional flexibility of Jones, and his path to playing time is only going to become even more limited once David Fry returns from the injured list (Fry is limited to DH duties only in 2025 after undergoing Tommy John Surgery). This combination seems to point to another change coming soon, especially if Noel continues to struggle at the plate in the manner he has this season.

These are all steps in the right direction for the Guardians, as this organization is showing that they know which areas of the roster are in need of improvement and are making the internal changes required to correct them. And again, there seems to be more of a sense of urgency here by making these swaps early enough in the season so it can possibly lead to the sizable positive impact they are looking for. It may appear like a series of small moves this team is making, but it is all part of a larger organizational plan that should have the best possible team on the field in September and, hopefully, October.