Cleveland Guardians' Josh Bell: 'We Can Go All the Way' in 2023

After signing a two-year, $33 million contract with the Cleveland Guardians in December, first baseman Josh Bell has high hopes for his new club in 2023. After the Guardians finished 92-70 and won the American League Central division in 2022, Bell believes his new team can win the World Series this season.

After signing a two-year, $33 million contract with the Cleveland Guardians in December, first baseman Josh Bell has high hopes for his new club in 2023.

"The sky's the limit for this team," Bell said. "The way that we play — the emphasis on base-running and playing the game the right way — and as good as our bullpen is and our starting pitchers are, I think that we can go all the way." 

The Guardians greatly impressed in 2022. The Chicago White Sox entered the season as heavy favorites to repeat as American League Central division champions, while many around the sport expected 2022 to be a transitional year for Cleveland. The Guardians, powered by the youngest roster in the big leagues, finished the season 92-70, 11 games better than the White Sox and good for their fourth AL Central title since 2016. The Guardians went up 2-1 in the ALDS, but ended up falling to the New York Yankees in five games.

After finishing the season 46-26 and adding power bats Mike Zunino and Bell, the Guardians feel that they can take the next step in 2023.

"I think we’re pretty much the same team as last year," pitcher Triston McKenzie said. "I think having Josh Bell here is definitely going to help. I think having Zunino is definitely going to help too. I think it’s kind of just going out there with the same mindset and keep the guys in the ballgame. We won a lot of ballgames just by staying in it last year... I definitely think [having Zunino and Bell] will help us just put more runs on the board and keep us out of those long, extra inning games. We might be able to conserve some of our pitching."

With a lineup full of contact hitters, the Guardians scored 698 runs in 2022, tying with the Colorado Rockies for 15th among Major League teams. The Guardians finished 29th in home runs, however, with 127 long balls. The acquisitions of Bell and Zunino should add a little more thump to their lineup, which could propel the Guardians into the top third of Major League Baseball in offensive output.

Zunino smashed 25 home runs in 2017, 20 in 2018 and a career-high 33 in 2021. After playing just 36 games last season due to thoracic outlet syndrome, Zunino hopes to bounce back in 2023 with his new club.

Bell won a Silver Slugger Award in 2022, which proved to be a tale of two seasons. Bell played like an All-Star over the first four months of the season with the Washington Nationals, slashing .301/.384/.877 with 14 home runs and 57 RBI. In August, Bell was included in the Juan Soto blockbuster deal, which sent him to the San Diego Padres. In two months in San Diego, Bell slashed just .192/.316/.587 with three home runs and 14 RBI.

Bell has showcased his power-hitting ability throughout his Major League career, from the time he made his debut in 2016 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bell's power numbers, however, have been a bit inconsistent. He mashed 26 dingers in 2017, then saw a dip in 2018 when he hit just 12, while playing 148 games. Bell hit a career-high 37 bombs in 2019, and tallied 27 in 2021. In 2022, he hit 17 home runs between the Padres and Nationals.

Bell believes that two keys to the Guardians achieving success in 2023 will be health, and getting off to a good start.

"It depends on whether or not we can stay healthy," Bell said. "It depends on how quickly we can get going. I know we’re going to get hot, it’s just a matter of when and how long we can sustain that but I think this type of baseball that we play is kind of slump-proof. It’s not all-or-nothing with the homers and whatnot. You got guys going from first to third. You got guys stealing bases. You got a lot of guys that have a high On Base Percentage and that can run, so hopefully I can add to that.”

The Guardians' style of play was attractive to Bell, when the club was courting him as a free agent. As baseball has shifted into a game of three true outcomes — home runs, strikeouts and walks — the Guardians have zigged while the rest of Major League Baseball has zagged.

The Guardians put together a young, electrifying team full of contact hitters, outstanding baserunners and terrific fielders, as evidenced by the club having four players — Andres Gimenez, Steven Kwan, Myles Straw and Shane Bieber — win Gold Glove Awards last year. The Guardians did this at a time when more and more teams are putting an emphasis on power-hitting, and neglecting the essence of speed on the base paths.

"I feel like a lot of teams would like to think that they’re promoting the same level of baseball," Bell said. "But when you got guys like Jose who’s [our] team leader legging out hustle doubles, stealing bases, running in outfielders' faces, it kind of sets a standard. So it’s one thing for the coaching staff to preach but when you’ve got players like him and (Amed) Rosario buying in, you get the younger guys getting called up and they just fit in, just trying to play up to their level so it’s working really well just because of the pieces that we have here. So it’s awesome to see.”

Another reason why Bell chose Cleveland was because it wasn't far from where his wife grew up.

"Obviously I went into this offseason being a free agent," Bell said. "I got some phone calls from different teams, but Cleveland was the first team. My wife is from about an hour away so once the numbers were sent across and I was comfortable with my opportunity here, it was awesome to see the look on my wife’s face when I told her everything was a done deal, so that coupled with being able to play for Tito, being able to come to a squad who played really well last year, has had a really good track record, is ready to compete right now and is really hungry for something more this postseason, I think it was just a perfect storm.”

Even after the success they found last year, the Guardians haven't generated the same kind of buzz other teams in the American League have, entering the season. The Guardians have the sixth-lowest betting odds to win the American League, at +1400, courtesy of Bet Rivers Casino. Despite being one of the last four teams remaining in the American League playoffs last fall, the Guardians are behind the Houston Astros (+300), New York Yankees (+300), Toronto Blue Jays (+600), Seattle Mariners (+850) and Tampa Bay Rays (+1100).

"As much as I think we got a lot better (from last season), I don't know if people see us as a much better team or have very high expectations for us again," McKenzie said. "So I think we're coming out here and trying to prove ourselves again.

“I think it’s just a divisional thing and they see the divisions and immediately assume that we’re a weaker team because we’re in a weaker division, but I think when we go out there and we play against those teams, you see the talent level and you see us competing. So, I think at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.”

When asked, Guardians manager Terry Francona did not seem to care about where the national media projects his team to finish the season.

"It doesn't really matter," Francona said. "What matters is how we play baseball... That doesn't enter into who we are, nor should it."

Bell is just excited to be a part of the Guardians and hopes to help the club reach new heights in 2023.

“Hopefully I can bring a little bit of pop," Bell said. "Hopefully I can be out there every day. I think my resiliency is big. That’s something I’ve been priding myself on for a long time. Hopefully I can be out there every day and slug a little bit and see what happens.”

The Guardians will play two more Cactus League games Saturday and Sunday, then a pair of exhibition games against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field Monday and Tuesday, before opening the season in Seattle against the Mariners on Thursday.

Check out our full American League West Preview on the Jack Vita Show!

Subscribe to the Jack Vita Show on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Amazon | iHeartRadio | Stitcher | Pandora | TuneIn | Listen Notes | Podtail | Podchaser | Hubhopper | Audio junkie | Himalaya | Podcast Addict | Available wherever podcasts are found.

For more from Jack Vita, follow him on Twitter @JackVitaShow, and subscribe to his podcast, the Jack Vita Show, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and wherever podcasts are found.