The Guardians' Most Glaring Question at First Base Before Opening Day

If the Cleveland Guardians want to contend for an American League Central title, power-hitting first baseman Kyle Manzardo is going to have to be one of the team's top players.

After playing just 53 games in the 2024 campaign, Manzardo's involvement with the Guardians took a major step forward just a year later, playing in 142 games en route to slashing .234/.313/.455 for an OPS of .768. Each of his statistical marks took a step forward, but it still didn't seem like he was at the top of his game.

Heading into 2026, one of the bigger questions surrounding the team is whether Manzardo can reach his full potential and provide consistent, reliable power to the lineup on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, that question only grows louder, as the 2026 MLB Spring Training window hasn't been too kind to him.

Through 41 at-bats, which is a team high, he's knocked a measly five hits and one home run for seven RBI. He's also struck out an incredibly high mark of 16, while drawing just three walks.

While it is just spring training, a time where guys may be testing out new techniques and just trying to get the juices flowing, this isn't a positive sign for his confidence heading into a new season.

Kyle Manzardo takes Roki Sasaki the other way for a grand slam! pic.twitter.com/sJ1VvfD6Q2
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 3, 2026

Although he has had flashes all spring, consistency, rather than his sheer power, will be what sets him up for success in 2026, especially when there's a bit of competition now for playing time.

That raises the question: Can he break out and become the player he’s been praised to be?

The Signing of Hoskins

Rhy Hoskins has thrown himself right into the heart of Manzardo's comeback story.

As the 25-year-old attempts to begin his third campaign with the club on a high note, the signing of Hoskins puts pressure on him to perform. While the team had Carlos Santana on the roster last campaign, spending time at first, he wasn't expected to provide real competition for the young power-hitter.

Hoskins, though, is in the middle of trying to reestablish himself as a big league contributor, coming off of two average years with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Even in what was considered a down year, 2025, Hoskins' bWAR was higher than Manzardo's career-best of 0.4. Hoskins' came in at 0.9, all while slashing .247/.332/.416 for an OPS of .748. He knocked 12 doubles and 12 home runs.

He's likely to be used a fair amount against left-handed pitchers, as the righty is one of the few on the Guardians' roster. That characteristic alone puts his value much higher than Manzardo's at this point in time, mainly due to his issues with consistency and inability to hit off lefties.

Now, Hoskins isn't a long-term solution to the first base position for Cleveland, but he may be the one that ends up exposing the fact that Manzardo's inability, at least right now, to be an everyday bat, is holding the team back.

The Struggles Must Be Fewer

If Manzardo wants to punch his ticket to be the go-to first baseman moving forward, he's going to have to become a more consistent player. At the end of the day, that's his major downfall.

During the 2025 campaign, he had six spells where he was hitless across three games or more, with the longest streak being five games from August 15 through August 20. While every young hitter is going to have their fair share of issues from time to time, recurring hitless streaks are concerning for a player who's expected to be a cornerstone moving forward.

Even prior to those rough streaks, from the start of April through the end of May, he slashed just .196/.287/.387, with his slugging percentage saving his OPS to a savable mark of .674.

He was average under a hit and a walk each game, while striking out at least once a game.

When the team needed him the most in September, though, he showed up and proved that he could rise to the occasion. He recorded 21 hits, five doubles, four home runs and 10 RBI that month. He also looked a bit sharper, striking out 21 times to seven walks. In comparison to months past, that strikeout mark is a step in the right direction.

It seems like Manzardo's reliability is somewhat month-to-month, with his long-term investment from the front office dependent on how his 2026 campaign looks. Especially, as Rhys Hoskins looks to get his career back on track.