Should Cleveland Guardians Be Concerned About Lane Thomas’ Production Since Trade?

It's not time for the Cleveland Guardians to panic over Lane Thomas' slow start.

Aug 1, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas (8) slides into second with a double during the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Guardians have been desperate for another reliable, major league-caliber, right-handed outfield bat to fill that void in their lineup. The organization didn’t let the trade deadline go by without obtaining one, as they acquired Lane Thomas from the Washington Nationals. 

However, Thomas’ tenure in Cleveland hasn’t started off as well as anyone would’ve hoped, as the outfielder is hitting .119 (5-for-42), has struck out 18 times, and has 

Should the Guardians be concerned about the production from their most recent acquisition? It’s a valid question to ask, but it’s not time to sound all of the alarms just yet.

Thomas has always been his best when facing left-handed pitching. He has career slash line of .305/.367/.516 against southpaws and this part of the game has been as-advertised with the Guardians. 

However, Thomas going up against right-handed pitching is a different story. This season (with both the Guardians and Nationals), he has a slash line of .206/.284/.332, which is a stark difference compared to those stats against lefties.

Stephen Vogt and the Guardians need to prioritize getting Thomas at-bats against southpaws, even if that means not starting him one day with the intention of using him as a pinch hitter halfway through the game. The key to Thomas is finding him the best matchups, but that hasn’t quite happened yet. 

Another one of Thomas’ current struggles is his swing-and-miss and struggle and contact issues. He has a 39 percent strikeout rate and .208 BABIP since joining the Guardians.

These numbers are simply uncharacteristic for the type of hitter Thomas has been throughout his career. He’s always been known as a solid contact hitter and carries a career strikeout rate of 24.5 percent. Yes, that’s not the player Cleveland has gotten, but it’s only been a few weeks, and hitters can go through an adjustment period after being traded. 

Aug 1, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas (8) celebrates after hitting a double during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

So, to answer the question, no, the Guardians shouldn't be nervous just yet. Thomas has shown to be a reliable and consistent hitter during his five-year career.

 However, it will be interesting to see how Thomas is used to help him find his swing with the Guardians because they’re going to need him down the stretch.