Andres Gimenez looks to be heating up at the plate when the Guardians need it most

It has been somewhat of a trying season at the plate for Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez. The nearly 26-year-old mostly struggled in the batter's box this season, posting the second-worst OPS+ number of his career (80). Attempts to move him around in the lineup to try and get him into a groove have been made but to no avail. That is until recently when something clicked, and Gimenez has found himself heating up at just the right time for the Guardians.

Over his last five games, Gimenez has six hits in 21 at-bats, with half of them going for extra-bases. The two home runs from Gimenez are his first of the second half of 2024 and are definitely an encouraging sign moving forward. The lack of extra-base hits this season, particularly in the second half, has been incredibly concerning for Gimenez. Cleveland does not need him to be a primary contributor to their offensive output, but being a consistent presence in the secondary variety makes a major difference in this team's ability to win games on a regular basis.

The uptick in performance could not have come at a better time for Gimenez and the Guardians. Cleveland saw their once robust lead in the American League Central disappear and have since reclaimed first place after briefly losing their spot atop the division. Gimenez's performance over the last five games has seen the Guardians go 4-1, with two crucial wins over Kansas City. Speaking of which, Cleveland is in the midst of a very important series with the Royals, and having someone not named Steven Kwan, Jose Ramirez, or Josh Naylor provide some offense will go a long way in this matchup. Gimenez being able to find success at the plate will take pressure off of those three, in particular, to be the key offensive contributors and make everyone a bit more relaxed at the plate. Hopefully, Cleveland will be able to see this continue over the next two games and bury Kansas City's chances at winning the division once and for all.