We’re back with another edition of Around the Horn. If you’ve missed the first two installments, our goal is to go position-by-position and examine what questions the Guardians may need to answer before the end of Spring Training.
Last time, we took a look at first base. Today, let’s cover second base.
The Guardians have been spoiled by Giménez’s defense at second base over the last two years. A back-to-back Gold Glove Award winner in 2022 ’23 and Platinum Glove recipient in ’23, it’s hard to imagine finding a slicker, more agile, or sounder defender at second base than Giménez. When it comes to his bat, he had a breakout year in ’22, hitting .297 with a .837 OPS. He struggled offensively in ’23 (.712 OPS) but finished the year strong, hitting .333 with a .859 OPS in September and reminding everyone that he can get back to being an All-Star-caliber player.
Backup options: Tyler Freeman, Brayan Rocchio, Gabriel Arias (and eventually Juan Brito and Angel Martínez)
Ah, yes, the middle-infield headache we’ve all been missing. The Guardians have so many candidates to play either second base or shortstop that they’re running out of room to keep them all. Freeman has been a good utility option in the past. Rocchio, who has played 88 games at second base in the Minors, could have the versatility to play second. If Arias isn’t starting at shortstop, maybe he could play a few games at second. The problem is that the Guardians have yet to settle on their shortstop, making it harder to predict who could back up Giménez in 2024.
Question to answer: Will Giménez stay at second?
Answering this question plays an enormous role in determining who could be a backup for Giménez at second base because … is Giménez even going to be a second?
The Guardians are open-minded about moving Giménez to shortstop, but the front office continues to bring up the concept of, “If it’s not broken, why fix it?”
Sure, there is concern about Cleveland’s offensive production at shortstop. If Giménez is playing short, he has a proven bat and an exceptional glove. That said, the offensive concerns would then shift from shortstop to second base. Maybe it’s a spot that doesn’t demand the same production, but if the Guardians are getting that production out of Giménez regardless, does it really matter if he’s at shortstop or second base?
Now, if this is an argument about making sure the best defender is at shortstop, then that’s a different story. Giménez — a natural shortstop — is more than capable of playing that position. He’s said that he spends the offseason fielding grounders there; he believes if you can play a sound shortstop, you can play second base.
The defense of Arias, the current favorite to win the shortstop job, hasn’t been in question with the Guardians. But moving Arias, who has a career .630 OPS, from shortstop to second base — a less familiar spot — could end up rattling him more. Maybe it’s a change that could prompt more production.
Everything is on the table at this point. There’s no question that the middle infield will be one of the toughest position battles to sort out this spring.
Who else is in the Pipeline?
- No. 1 prospect SS/2B Brayan Rocchio (age: 22, Triple-A Columbus/Guardians)
- No. 6 prospect INF Juan Brito (age: 22, Triple-A Columbus)
- No. 10 prospect INF Angel Martínez (age: 21, Triple-A Columbus)
- No. 13 prospect OF/2B Jake Fox (age: 20 High-A Lake County)
- No. 17 prospect SS/2B Kahlil Watson (age: 20, High-A Lake County)
