The Cleveland Guardians are expected to experience some regression, though not necessarily in a negative sense.
The term “regression” often carries a negative implication, suggesting a continued decline, but it can also mean returning to more average performance levels after an extreme period. In this context, it refers to the Guardians potentially seeing improvement as they revert to more typical performance metrics.
MLB insider Travis Sawchik suggests that the struggling Guardians could benefit from this kind of positive regression as the playoff race intensifies. Sawchik points out that Cleveland’s batting average on balls in play (BABIP) has been unusually low at .246 over the past month, compared to the league average of .290. This indicates that the team has been unlucky recently.
It’s noteworthy that, earlier in the season, the Guardians were considered the luckiest team in baseball, but that luck seems to have shifted. Despite Cleveland’s BABIP being partly affected by weak contact, the team has faced a fair share of misfortune, with balls often being hit directly to fielders and ground balls being caught by gloves.
The Guardians’ lineup, however, isn’t particularly strong overall. They rank 22nd in batting average, 19th in OPS, and 12th in runs scored. Jose Ramirez has been a reliable offensive contributor, while Steven Kwan and Josh Naylor have had inconsistent performances.
Currently, the Guardians hold a slim one-game lead over the Kansas City Royals in the AL Central and are set to begin a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.
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