Guardians outfield still lacks clarity and that's a problem

Cleveland Guardians v Los Angeles Angels
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The next tier, aka part-time/platoon options

As far as the next group of players goes, that is when things get a little tricky. None of Will Brennan, Tyler Freeman, or Jhonkensy Noel are full-time major league outfielders. Brennan and Freeman have the best argument of the three, but that is due to it being in everyone's best interests to limit Noel's time in right field. Ideally, Noel only sees time at first and DH, but with those two positions spoken for on most days, Stephen Vogt will have to find a way to get his bat into the lineup, and right field seems like the easiest way to do so.

From an offensive standpoint, Freeman leaves a lot to be desired while Brennan is very much an average bat, and Noel's power is tantalizing, but his strikeout frequency is a very real concern. There is a way to navigate and put together the best possible lineup with these three, but it would feel a lot more comfortable if Thomas was not in the picture or Cleveland was able to find a better everyday option in center. For now, it seems like they will be forced to shuffle in and out of the lineup as needed.

Players who moonlight in the outfield

As part of Cleveland's roster construction that emphasized versatility in their non-starters, Cleveland was able to experiment with Angel Martinez and Daniel Scheemann in the outfield at various points throughout the season. This was mostly a way to give the regulars a day off their feet and keep their utility bats in somewhat of a rhythm.

No one should expect either one of Martinez or Schneemann to be outfield regulars, but do not be surprised to see them used off the bench strategically when needed. Their positional versatility can allow Stephen Vogt to modify his lineup accordingly, an option that is incredibly valuable late in games.

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