Will Brennan returns to Cleveland, Guardians option struggling infielder

A familiar face has made his return to the outfield in Cleveland. Will Brennan has been recalled by the Guardians prior to Monday night's matchup with the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. This game will also be his major league season debut, as he is in the lineup and batting ninth for the Guardians. Brennan will be taking the place of shortstop Brayan Rocchio in Cleveland, as he has been optioned to the Columbus Clippers, the Guardians' Triple-A affiliate.

Brennan did not make the big league roster out of spring training and was sent down to Triple-A Columbus to begin the season. A solid .304/.340/.419 slash line with eight doubles and three home runs made it obvious he had nothing left to prove in the minors, ultimately resulting in his return to the majors.

The 28-year-old outfielder should figure to be heavily utilized in Cleveland's outfield now that he is back in the fold. Brennan may not possess the power potential of Nolan Jones orJhonkensy Noel, but he should be able to provide something close to league-average production from an OPS+ standpoint, having just missed doing so last season (98).

A move involving Rocchio seemed imminent

Rocchio has struggled in all facets of the game to begin the year and has slowly been losing playing time until eventually being sent down to Triple-A. The 24-year-old was 15-91 at the plate this season, with 21 strikeouts compared to five walks. Not helping matters are his six errors, which still remain the most in the American League even though his most recent appearance came on last Wednesday.

With Gabriel Arias making the move to the other side of second base and being a better option in the field and in the batter's box, combined with Daniel Schneemann's early season effectiveness, sending Rocchio down to Triple-A to work on, well, everything is the best path forward for all parties at this time.