Travis

Bazzana

Bazzana has been removed from Cleveland’s leadoff spot after hitting .198/.280/.362 with four homers and four steals over his last 30 games. The 23-year-old rookie has been struggling recently, hitting just .238 (5-for-30) over his last seven games. It’ll be David Fry getting a look atop the lineup against Twins rookie lefty Connor Prielipp in this one. It could be a one-game decision, but fantasy managers should prepare for Bazzana to hit lower in the Guardians lineup against lefty starters moving forward.

Bazzana led off the home half of the first with a single but wound up stranded at third. He then opened the scoring with an RBI double in the third inning and scored as Brayan Rocchio worked a bases-loaded walk. Bazzana also walked in the fourth and sixth innings, but the Guardians couldn’t cash him in. The 23-year-old phenom is slashing a solid .251/.346/.420 with seven homers, 26 RBI and 12 stolen bases over 240 plate appearances across his first 56 MLB contests.

Bazzana started the game with a lead-off home run off Spencer Arrighetti and then extended the Guardians’ lead to 6-1 with a three-run home run off Arrighetti in the fifth inning. Bazzana is hitting .274 with seven home runs, an .845 OPS and 23 RBI after his monster game. It came at the right time as he entered play Saturday 10-for-55 (.182) in June.

Bazzana came into the day hitting .132/.230/.264 in his previous 14 games, so hitting a go-ahead homer in the seventh surely felt very good. He’s still at .250/.353/.419 overall. He was picked off today for his third caught stealing in 14 attempts.

Bazzanna wasted little time giving the Guardians a lead in this one, crushing the third pitch thrown by Kumar Rocker for a 385-foot (99.1-mph EV) leadoff home run. He also singled and tripled in the contest, finishing a double shy of the cycle. The 23-year-old has been awfully impressive since joining the Guardians, slashing .288/.371/.472 with four homers, 16 RBI and nine stolen bases in his first 143 plate appearances.

With most of the game’s second base talent concentrated in the NL right now, Bazzana just might have a chance to start an All-Star Game as a rookie. He’s batting .292/.382/.451 with three homers and eight steals through 31 games.

Bazzana also had a 381-foot flyout to right-center that would have been a homer in 14 ballparks. He’s collected multiple hits in seven of his last 14 games, and he’s sitting at .302/.407/.458 one month into his major league career.

Bazzana is hitting .417 (5-for-12) with one homer in three games since being moved to Cleveland’s leadoff spot last weekend. It’s too small of a sample size to draw any firm conclusions, but the 23-year-old top prospect’s on-base ability makes him a natural fit as a top-of-the-order table-setter, especially since the Guardians are lacking any in-house alternatives. He should be rostered in all fantasy formats at this juncture.

Bazzana started the game with a leadoff single, but was then caught stealing second base. He later hit a home run in the eighth inning to extend the Guardians’ lead to 3-1. Bazzana is hitting .294 and already has three home runs in his first 85 at-bats in the major leagues. Steven Kwan also had three hits on Sunday, but Bazzana appears to be the team’s preferred leadoff hitter against right-handed pitching at the moment.

It’s finally happening, weather permitting. Bazzana moves atop Cleveland’s lineup after hitting .273/.391/.364 with two homers, nine RBI and seven steals in 22 games since arriving in the majors last month. The 23-year-old former second-overall pick represents Cleveland’s best option as a top-of-the-order table-setter moving forward with Steven Kwan struggling at the outset of the year.