Cleveland Guardians Need More From This Spot In The Lineup

The Cleveland Guardians have some All-Star hitters at the top of their lineup.

Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan are two of the best hitters in baseball for various reasons, but there's still a massive issue with Cleveland's top three hitters: The Guardians can't figure out who the best player to hit second in the lineup is.

This topic has been discussed since spring training, when Stephen Vogt revealed that Ramirez could see some time hitting behind Kwan this season.

Ramirez did hit second in a few of the first few series, but the stats undeniably prove he's better and more comfortable hitting third, and he's the type of player who deserves a say in where he hits.

This still doesn't take away from the issue that is the two-hole in Cleveland's lineup.

Through the season's first quarter, Cleveland's two-hole hitters are slashing just .190/.256/.302 with an OPS of .558, the lowest in MLB.

Batters hitting second in the lineup have a combined sOPS+ of 50, which is the worst spot in the lineup.

Apr 18, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38) celebrates with shortstop Gabriel Arias (13) after he scored a run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

These numbers include Ramirez, who has a .261 batting average and a .809 when hitting second.

The Guardians have tried several different players in the position. Daniel Schneemann, Nolan Jones, and Gabriel Arias have most notably gotten a fair shot at securing the spot as theirs.

Arias and Schneemann each are having solid seasons at the plate, which makes it even more peculiar that they haven't had success batting between the team's two best hitters.

Seeing what the Guardians do with this spot in the forward lineup will be interesting.

Ramirez was back hitting second during Cleveland's series loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

Could Lane Thomas be an option hitting behind Kwan when he comes off the injured list?

David Fry will eventually be back. He hit second during last season's postseason run. Could he see time batting there this season?

Time will tell, but it's undoubtedly a predicament the team must figure out.

Read More Cleveland Guardians Coverage