Guardians' Estevan Florial: On bench against righty
Rotowire
Florial is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta.
The lefty-hitting Florial finds himself on the bench for the third time in four games, with two of those absences coming against right-handed pitching. Florial appeared to have recently supplanted Ramon Laureano for a regular spot in the lineup as the Guardians' top option at designated hitter, but manager Stephen Vogt looks like he may just prefer to have a number of different players rotate at that spot.
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Guardians' Estevan Florial: Taking seat Thursday
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Florial is out of the lineup for Thursday's tilt against the Red Sox.
Florial had started four of the previous five games versus right-handers but will take a seat Thursday against righty Chase Anderson. Jose Ramirez will get a day out of the infield and serve as the Guardians' designated hitter Thursday while Florial is on the bench.
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Guardians' Estevan Florial: Gets second straight start
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Florial will serve as the Guardians' designated hitter and No. 7 batter in Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.
Florial will get his second straight start against a right-handed starting pitcher (Cooper Criswell) after he went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and an RBI in Tuesday's 4-1 win. The 26-year-old looks to be gaining traction as Cleveland's primary designated hitter.
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Guardians' Estevan Florial: Sits down versus southpaw
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Florial isn't in the Guardians' lineup for Saturday's game against the Athletics.
With lefty Alex Wood set to start on the mound for Oakland, the left-handed bat of Florial will begin Saturday's contest in the dugout. His absence will move Josh Naylor into the DH spot while David Fry picks up a start at first base and bats second.
Florial went 3-for-4 with a double, one RBI and one run scored in Friday's 10-2 win over the Athletics.
This was Florial's first multi-hit effort of the season. After a slow start, he's hit safely in four of his last six games while driving in all five of his RBI over that span. The outfielder is batting .235 with two home runs, a stolen base and four runs scored over 39 plate appearances, but it appears he is gaining traction as a regular in the lineup versus right-handed pitchers.
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Guardians' Estevan Florial: Playing time trending up
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Florial will start in right field and bat seventh in Monday's game in Boston.
It's the fourth straight start against a right-hander for Florial, and in the game he didn't start versus a lefty he came off the bench to hit a pinch-hit home run. Florial is 2-for-9 with two home runs and a 4:2 K:BB over that stretch. Ramon Laureano and Will Brennan will be on the bench Monday.
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Guardians' Estevan Florial: Goes yard again
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Florial hit a solo home run as a pinch hitter in Sunday's 8-7 extra-inning win over the Yankees.
Florial enjoyed a vengeful weekend, hitting his first two homers of the season against his former team over the last two days. The outfielder is still batting .190 through 25 plate appearances, to go with a 4:10 BB:K, but it looks like he's starting to build some momentum. Florial remains in a crowded competition for playing time between center field, right field and designated hitter, and he should have chances to draw into the lineup at least versus right-handed pitchers.
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Guardians' Estevan Florial: Lifts homer in nightcap
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Florial went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Saturday's 8-2 loss to the Yankees in the second game of a doubleheader.
Florial went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts in the matinee before getting his third hit and first homer as a Guardian -- against his former organization -- in the nightcap. The outfielder is still hitting a paltry .150 with one stolen base, one RBI, two runs scored and a triple over 24 plate appearances. Florial is competing with Ramon Laureano, Tyler Freeman and Will Brennan for playing time between center field, right field and designated hitter, and none of them have made compelling cases to grab a starting role so far.
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Guardians' Estevan Florial: Won't start Saturday vs. A's
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Florial is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against Oakland.
Florial started at DH against right-hander Ross Stripling on Friday and finished 0-for-3 with one walk, one stolen base and two strikeouts. Against left-hander JP Sears on Saturday, Florial will head back to the bench, while Jose Ramirez moves to DH and Gabriel Arias starts at third base.
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Guardians' Estevan Florial: Records steal in win
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Florial went 0-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Friday's 6-4 win over the Athletics.
Florial got into the lineup for the first time Friday as the designated hitter against righty Ross Stripling after sitting Opening Day when Alex Wood was on the mound. Florial was able to earn his first steal of the season after posting six thefts across his first 48 major-league contests over the previous four seasons with the Yankees. The Guardians started Tyler Freeman in center field for both of the first two games of the season, but it figures Florial will eventually be in the mix there as well.
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Guardians' Estevan Florial: Sitting versus southpaw
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Florial is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics.
Florial is likely to start in center field most days as a strong-side platoon option, but he will take a seat Thursday with left-hander Alex Wood on the bump. Tyler Freeman will get the nod in center field instead and bat sixth.
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Guardians' Estevan Florial: Secures roster spot
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Florial will be on the Guardians' Opening Day roster, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Florial hit .167 and struck out 20 times over 14 Cactus League games, but he was still able to leapfrog Myles Straw on the organizational depth chart. A left-handed hitter, Florial looks set to see playing time at least as a strong-side platoon option in center field. Tyler Freeman and Ramon Laureano are the Guardians' right-handed options for center, with that playing-time battle likely to extend beyond spring training.
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Guardians' Estevan Florial: Pushing Straw for center field job
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Florial is competing with Myles Straw this spring for the Guardians' center field job, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic reports.
Straw has been the club's primary center fielder since being picked up from the Astros in 2021 and still offers Gold Glove-caliber defense, but he's slashed an anemic .229/.296/.284 over the last two campaigns. Florial, who was acquired via trade from the Yankees this offseason, has just a .609 OPS in 134 plate appearances at the major-league level but collected a .944 OPS with 28 homers and 25 steals in 2023 over 101 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 26-year-old has swing-and-miss issues (29.9 percent strikeout rate at SWB) but certainly would offer more fantasy intrigue than Straw. Florial is also out of minor-league options, so he'll undoubtedly make the Opening Day roster.
Guardians' Estevan Florial: Lands in Cleveland via trade
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The Guardians acquired Florial from the Yankees on Tuesday in exchange for Cody Morris.
Florial doesn't have anything left to prove in the minors but also didn't have a clear path to playing time with the Yankees, so a change of scenery was just what the doctor ordered. There's probably not a better landing spot for him than Cleveland, where only Steven Kwan would appear locked into a starting role in the outfield. Florial slashed .284/.380/.565 with 28 home runs and 25 stolen bases at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2023, although that also came with a 30 percent strikeout rate. The 26-year-old has hit only .209/.313/.296 with one home run and a 31 percent strikeout rate in 48 major-league contests, but his playing time has been sporadic.
Florial is not in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Blue Jays.
Florial was in center field for each of the Yankees' first seven games after he was called up, but the left-handed batter will take a seat for this one as Toronto sends southpaw Yusei Kikuchi to the bump. Isiah Kiner-Falefa will handle center field.
