Guardians demote George Valera in preparation for marathon road trip 

Starting tomorrow, the Cleveland Guardians are going to begin a seven-game road trip that will take them to Sacramento to take on The Athletics and Kansas City for an American League Central showdown against the Royals. 

It’s a trip they’ll be taking without George Valera. Earlier today the Guardians announced that Valera had been sent to Triple-A, with a corresponding move coming tomorrow.

Even though Valera’s demotion is the first half of an incomplete move, it makes sense that the Guardians would do it today ahead of their cross-country flight to Sacramento. 

George Valera’s demotion opens up a world of possibility for the Guardians 

While Valera was able to come up big in some moments this season with the Guardians, he’s slashing just .216/.237/.297 in 13 games. He racked up six RBI in that span, but he’s chased at 40% of the balls that he’s seen out of the zone and has yet to barrel a ball that he’s put in play. 

A reset was needed. 

This will be the second stint in the minors for Valera this season after he started the year on a rehab assignment following a calf strain that he suffered in spring training. He hit .294 with two home runs and 12 RBI across eight games in his rehab stint before the Guardians recalled him from Triple-A. 

The Guardians have a variety of ways they could go with their open roster spot. Kahlil Watson, CJ Kayfus and Petey Halpin are the outfield options in the minors who are already on the 40-man roster, while the newly-demoted Juan Brito and Angel Genao are the infield options. 

Of those players, Halpin and Kayfus are likely the top two options given they’ve already seen time in the bigs and have been playing well in the minors. 

Kayfus, who started the season on the Guardians' big league roster, has gone 9-for-29 (.310 average) in seven games while Halpin has posted a .250/.328/.375 slashline with two home runs, 14 RBI and nine steals in a team-high 112 at-bats. 

Halpin impressed with two home runs in big league spring training and saw time down the stretch last season as pinch-runner and defensive replacement. 

Kayfus had a productive start to the season and had a stat-stuffing performance earlier in the month against the Cubs, but he also struck out in 32% of his at-bats. 

But the Guardians could also choose to really push the envelope and call up Watson, who was added to the 40-man roster last season ahead of the Rule 5 Draft. 

He’s recorded four homers, four doubles and eight steals so far this year in Triple-A while looking more and more comfortable in the outfield. 

But no matter what decision the Guardians make, it’s good to see the Guardians making roster moves that give them the best version of their roster.

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