Guardians playoff roster flaw that fans saw coming puts them on brink after Game 1

No one will ever mistake Jhonkensy Noel or Johnathan Rodríguez for Gold Glovers in the field. And while their fielding struggles can be hard to stomach sometimes, they still (theoretically) hold some value due to their ability to cause damage in the batter’s box. 

On Tuesday, that theoretical production never became tangible, as they combined to go 0-for-6 with five strikeouts while also committing two crucial errors in the Guardians' 2-1 loss in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. 

Jhonkensy Noel and Johnathan Rodríguez’s struggles were inexcusable on Tuesday 

Rodríguez’s struggles popped up right away, as he booted a first inning single from Kerry Carpenter that set up Spencer Torkelson’s RBI single a batter later. 

After the Guardians tied the game in the fourth inning, the Tigers took the lead again in the seventh inning thanks, in part, to an error from Noel where he failed to find first base on a throw from Brayan Rocchio. 

Again, those struggles would be easier to stomach if the duo provided anything at the plate, but every single one of their at-bats ended with them walking back to the dugout without being able to get on base. 

Having them in the lineup makes a bit of sense considering they’re both right-handed platoon bats who could do some damage against left-handed Tigers starter Tarik Skubal, but that wasn’t the case. 

While the Guardians pushed all their chips into the table with their inclusion of rookie Chase DeLauter on their postseason roster, their inclusion of Rodríguez and Noel was a bit head-scratching given their struggles in the regular season.

Yes, they both hit big September homers (Noel’s came off Skubal in Detroit), but they also both hit under .200 in the regular season. 

And if that wasn’t enough, Noel got the start at first base — a position he’s only played 18 times in his major league career. 

Even if Stephen Vogt still kept Kyle Manzardo in the lineup as the designated hitter, there’s no excuse for trotting out a postseason lineup that featured two players who spent most of the season at Triple-A. 

The good news is that both of them should be stapled to the bench tomorrow since the Tigers will be starting a righty in Casey Mize. George Valera or C.J. Kayfus should take Rodríguez’s spot in right field, while Kayfus or Manzardo should be at first.

If Kayfus handles right and Manzardo handles first, Valera or DeLauter could get the start at designated hitter. 

But, regardless of who gets the start, they’ll need to do more than what Noel and Johnathan Rodríguez did. If they don’t, the Guardians’ trip to the postseason will be quicker than anyone in Northeast Ohio would like.