CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Cleveland Guardians’ slugger Franmil Reyes has endured a forgettable start to the season.
His bat had been as cold as the recent temperatures in Northeast Ohio, with a batting average floating below the .200 mark and his power non-existent so far.
But with a two-run homer in Guardians 6-3 win over the White Sox, Reyes provided some hope that he may be breaking out of his early-season slump.
“Especially hitting behind Josey (Jose Ramirez), we really need to get him going. So that should help him,” said Guardians’ manager Terry Francona.
Reyes’ 400-foot blast into the bullpen broke the seal in the third inning to propel the Guardians their first series sweep of Chicago since September of 2020.
It was surely the most visible evidence that his swing is rounding into form, but Reyes believes the groundwork was laid the previous day in a doubleheader sweep of the White Sox.
“That was a big reaction. First pitch,” Reyes said. “But yesterday’s at-bats were the best. I want that every day.”
Reyes went 2-for-3 Thursday afternoon while manning right field. Francona opted to give his big-hitting designated hitter a chance to play the field and, hopefully, take his mind off what was going on at the plate.
“I think it’s good for him to be out there sometimes. I think it helps where you don’t have to worry about just hitting,” Francona said.
When asked about his manager’s thought-process, Reyes asserted he’s focused on the task at hand, but did concede Tito may know best.
“When I’m on defense, I focus on defense. When I’m at the plate, I try to give my best,” Reyes said. “But if he (Francona) thinks that way, Tito is a veteran coach. If he does it, he does it for a reason
In the 4th inning, Jose Abreu hit a ball into the right-field corner that bounced off Reyes’ glove as he retreated towards the warning track to make the catch. He recovered quickly, hitting the cutoff and helping nab Luis Robert on a relay-throw to home-plate.
Reyes was lifted in the 7th inning when Myles Straw replaced him in the lineup and took center field defensively. Starter Oscar Mercado slid into Reyes’ spot in right.
“I thought he did okay. I think the one ball was in his glove and then out when he got close to the wall there,” Francona said.
But his offense is what mattered most Thursday afternoon.
Despite his one-pitch at-bat that went full-send over the fence in right-center, Reyes has placed an emphasis on seeing more pitches and letting the ball get deeper into his stance before he unleashes his powerful swing.
“When I let the ball travel a little bit more I feel better at the plate. That’s something that my hitting coach always told me,” Reyes said. “I couldn’t control it the first couple of games. I’m not saying things are going to get like they were, but I’m working hard on it and I’m thinking the same way.”
Josh Naylor added two hits and a pair of RBIs in the Guardians third-straight win that left them all alone atop the standings in the American League Central. His RBI double in the bottom of the 7th gave the Guardians a 5-3 lead and provided some much-needed breathing room after the White Sox climbed within one run.
“I’ve known him since 2016. He’s a strong guy. I didn’t know how quickly he would come back, but I knew he was going to come stronger,” Reyes said.
Naylor has looked strong in his return to action. He’s batting .545 (6-for-11) with one double, 3RBI and a walk in his last 3 games. If the Guardians wish to remain atop the division standings, they’ll need the pair to continue to produce.
“I feel very happy to see him with a uniform on,” Reyes said. “He’s my best friend and it’s great to see him there playing with a big smile and cheering for the team no matter how he’s doing.”
NOTES—Jose Ramirez extended his hitting streak to 16 games after he went 2-for-5 against the White Sox. Ramirez’s streak is the longest active hit streak in the Majors and he has recorded 6 multi-hit games during this current run.
Ramirez is hitting .385 (25-for-65) with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs, 23RBI and 5walks in that span.
walks in that span.
-- Starter Zach Plesac earned his first career win over the White Sox at Progressive Field, improving to 1-2 with a 4.66 ERA (19ER/36.2IP) in 6 home starts against Chicago.