Josh Bell Showcasing What He Brings To The Guardians
We all know the reason the Cleveland Guardians brought in Josh Bell over the winter. They needed someone who can hit home runs and bat behind Jose Ramirez to give him protection from the opposing pitchers intentionally walking him.
This is something that Ramirez led the league in 2022.
But Bell's contribution to the Guardians goes well beyond just mashing homers and he's showcasing that in Spring Training. Over his 10 games and 24 plate appearances, Bell has a .208 batting average and a .375 SLG.
The batting average may be slightly lower than some fans may have expected from the power-hitter, but that isn't a complete signifier of production. Bell has hit a home run, driven in four runs, and has five hits.
The former Silver Slugger is getting on base at a high rate too. He has an OBP of .296 and an OPS of .671 which fits right into the Guardians' brand of baseball. Bell getting on base has led to success for the team too as he's come around to score three runs.
Bell demonstrating his versatility at the plate is an encouraging sign for the Guardians' offense. Cleveland may have been on the lower end of the home run totals among MLB teams in 2022, but they still found ways to score.
This was through getting on base and contact hitters. Bell is playing right into the model and there's no doubt in my mind that the home runs will come around once the season gets going.
Once that happens, Cleveland may have one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball.
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