Cleveland Guardians Have Major Flaw In One Very Important Area

The Cleveland Guardians may have one of baseball's best records, but they have a major organizational flaw that doesn't seem to be getting any better.

Aug 31, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) reacts after striking out during the ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians seem to have righted the ship after a brutal stretch, winning five of their last six games heading into Wednesday's series finale with the Kansas City Royals.

Four of the Guardians five victories in this recent run have come against the Royals, providing Cleveland with some considerable separation in the AL Central.

However, this does not mean the Guardians are devoid of problems.

While Cleveland has had severe issues with its starting rotation all season long, there is another area in which the Guardians have struggled: offensive consistency.

More specifically, Cleveland has been experiencing significant issues with plate discipline, and that is something that has plagued the club for several years.

Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer has identified patience at the plate has the most prominent flaw in the Guardians' organization, noting that only four other teams in baseball have drawn fewer weeks since 2021.

This season, Cleveland ranks 19th in the majors in free passes, which, while not hideous, is certainly not what would you expect from a club that boasts one of the best records in the sport.

Even Jose Ramirez—who is far and away the Guardians' best hitter—has not exactly been an on-base fiend in 2024, posting a .330 OBP through 589 plate appearances. As a collective, Cleveland ranks 17th in on-base percentage, with David Fry leading the way at .361. However, much of Fry's production came early in the season, as he registered a .294 OBP in July and a .265 OBP in August.

While the Guardians' starting pitching has definitely been their biggest drawback in 2024, their offense has not exactly been lighting it up, either.

Perhaps Cleveland's front office needs to further examine its criteria for evaluating hitters.