Travis Bazzana has been as-adivrited in his first two games as the Cleveland Guardians' leadoff hitter.
Ever since the Cleveland Guardians called up Travis Bazzana at the beginning of April, the question has been when will he be the team’s lead-off hitter.
Even if Steven Kwan was playing like the All-Star version of himself, Bazzana’s skill set as a disciplined hitter, someone willing to take their walks, and a base-stealing threat makes him a perfect hitter to lead off at the top of the order.
The Guardians, understandably, didn’t want to put too much pressure on Bazzana during his first month in the big leagues, but on Saturday, the inevitable finally came to fruition.
When Stephen Vogt submitted his lineup on Saturday afternoon, the 2024 No. 1 overall pick was hitting first in Cleveland’s lineup.
For the Guardians, it represented the next generation of young talent finally making their mark at the big-league level. For Bazzana, he was getting back to a spot in the lineup that feels natural.
“I've kind of led off my whole life. Like I've always hit lead off,” said Bazzana after Saturday’s game.
“It was nice to get back in the lead-off spot, especially against a [Phillies] pitching staff that's great, and in an environment like this. It was fun.”
May 24, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) watches his home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the eighth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn ImagesIn Bazzana’s first game as a lead-off hitter, he did exactly what a lead-off hitter should be doing in that position: seeing as many pitches as possible and getting on base.
The Guardians hitter went 1-4, with a double off closer Jhoan Duran, but it was the number of pitches he saw that made this a successful game. In total, Bazzana saw 13 pitches in four plate appearances against Phillies pitching on Saturday, including a six-pitch battle against Zack Wheeler in the third inning.
Then, on Sunday, in Bazzana’s second game, hitting first in Cleveland’s lineup, he put together the second three-hit game of his career. One of those hits included a home run that hit off the second deck at Citizens Bank Park.
It’s an incredibly small sample size, yes, but Bazzana has a 1.500 OPS hitting first in Cleveland’s lineup through two games.
When Vogt moved Steven Kwan out of the lead-off spot a few weeks ago, the manager said that it wasn’t a permanent move. However, even if Kwan does heat back up at the plate, Bazzana could hold on to the lead-off spot in Cleveland’s lineup if he continues to produce as he did in a small sample size.
Bazzana’s season slashline is now up to .294/.400/.424, with a strikeout rate of just 17.7 percent, a walk rate of 13.5 percent, and a chase rate of 19.8 percent.
The 23-year-old recently talked about how important his process is at the plate, and if he continues that process, he’s setting himself up to be a successful lead-off hitter for the Guardians for years to come.
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