The Cleveland Guardians are heading into the 2023 season with high hopes after an impressive 2022 campaign. The team went 92-70 and won the American League Central Division title before winning a Wild Card series against the Tampa Bay Rays. While superstar third baseman José Ramirez was a key contributor, the team got a massive boost from all-star shortstop Andrés Giménez, Amed Rosario, and rookie standout Steven Kwan.

Former Cy Young award winner Shane Bieber anchored the Cleveland Indians rotation. Still, the emergence of Triston McKenzie gave Cleveland a true dynamic duo to keep them competitive all season. The team’s strong performance last year was unexpected, but it gave the fan base high expectations heading into 2023.

New Signings and 2023 Season Projections

To bolster their lineup, Cleveland added Josh Bell and Mike Zunino. Bell was signed to a two-year, $33 million deal and is expected to bring consistency to the offence. Zunino, a slugging catcher, adds another potent bat to the lineup.

The Guardians will be looking to repeat as AL Central champions, and they have a good shot. The competition in the division has done little to improve, and the Chicago White Sox and the Minnesota Twins are arguably worse. Cleveland has a bonafide MVP, Cy Young, and Closer of the Year candidate anchoring their team, and the addition of Bell should allow for more consistency on offence.

Reigning AL Manager of the Year, Terry Francona, will be back at the helm, coaching one of the youngest rosters in Major League Baseball. Francona has proven himself a master motivator, and his leadership will be crucial to the Guardians’ success.

During the second half of the 2022 season, Ramirez faced a hand injury that hindered his performance. Despite this setback, the Cleveland Guardians superstar still delivered a solid performance, recording a 514 slash line with 29 home runs, 126 RBI, and 20 stolen bases across 685 player appearances. If Ramirez stays injury-free throughout the 2023 season, he will contend powerfully for the American League MVP honours.

Although they are the reigning champions of the AL Central, the Cleveland Guardians have just had a clear path to a division title in the last five years. The team retained its core group of influential players, mainly because most were in either arbitration or pre-arbitration status.

Meanwhile, multiple seasons of lackluster performances have led to the White Sox and Twins losing several crucial players, and as a result, they may underperform. Furthermore, some may argue that this is the most comprehensive lineup of players the Guardians have had since trading away Francisco Lindor, if not since their World Series appearance in 2016.

With the start of the new MLB season, fans of the Cleveland Indians are excited to see how the team will perform. One way that fans can engage more deeply with the sport is through Ohio Sports Betting Apps, which allow users to place bets on games and follow their favorite teams with even greater excitement.

Cleveland Indians Roster for 2023

When discussing the Cleveland Guardians’ roster, the focus inevitably shifts to their two prominent stars, José Ramírez and Shane Bieber. Since the beginning of the 2016 season, only Mike Trout and Mookie Betts have accumulated more fWAR than the Guardians’ third baseman.

Over the past six years, Ramírez has placed in the top six in MVP voting in five seasons due to his excellent combination of power (lifetime slugging of .503) and plate discipline (comparable walk and strikeout rates). It appears that his exceptional performance shows no signs of diminishing.

Despite experiencing a less impressive year in 2021 due to the foreign substance ban enforcement, Bieber bounced back in 2022 and earned a top-10 spot in fWAR and Cy Young voting. Since the beginning of the 2019 season, only four pitchers – Max Scherzer, Zack Wheeler, Gerrit Cole, and Jacob deGrom – have produced more value than Bieber. In addition, he could rank among the top ten finishers in the upcoming 2023 season.

The Guardians’ projections are not solely dependent on their superstars. They also have a group of unheralded hitters who can cause problems for any pitcher, as Yankees fans are well aware. One of the key acquisitions from the Francisco Lindor trade, Andrés Giménez, had a standout season and finished second among qualified second basemen with 6.1 fWAR.

Rookie standout Steven Kwan, who has a higher walk rate than strikeout rate, was worth four-and-a-half wins and finished in third place for Rookie of the Year. Myles Straw and Oscar Gonzalez are serviceable outfielders, while Josh Naylor’s bat has significant power.

Cleveland’s signing of Josh Bell on a two-year, $33 million contract in free agency is a clear improvement over Franmil Reyes as the designated hitter. Bell’s powerful bat is a much-needed addition to the team’s lineup after relying on batters who excel in hitting for average.

The team also acquired Mike Zunino, who tied for the third-most valuable catcher in baseball in 2021 with 4.5 fWAR. Zunino hit 33 home runs and was a surprising name at the top of the quality of contact rankings. He is a significant upgrade over Austin Hedges, provided he can remain healthy.

Cleveland has a wealth of pitching talent behind Bieber in the rotation. Triston McKenzie emerged as one of the premier young starters in baseball in 2022 by improving his four-seam fastball from one of the worst in MLB to one of the best, enhancing the effectiveness of his already devastating breaking pitches. In addition, Cal Quantrill, Aaron Civale, and Zach Plesac form a talented group of mid-rotation starters with plenty of potential for improvement from the latter two.

The bullpen is where the Guardians’ true strength lies, particularly in Emmanuel Clase, Trevor Stephan, and James Karinchak, who could be the best trio of relief pitchers in baseball for closing out games. Clase’s triple-digit cutter makes him a top contender for the title of best closer, especially with Edwin Díaz out for the season. Experts predict that the entire bullpen will perform exceptionally well and project them to be the third most valuable bullpen in all of MLB. This form was an improvement from last season when they ranked fourth.

Summary

It will be a close divisional race, but the Guardians are poised to make another playoff run in 2023. Fans are excited to see what this young team can accomplish, and they will be cheering them on every step of the way. With their talented roster and dedicated coaching staff, the Cleveland Guardians are a team to watch this season.