KANSAS CITY -- Kyle Manzardo¡¯s strong finish to the 2024 regular season and his success in the playoffs inspired confidence that a breakout could be coming in ¡®25. Suffice to say, he¡¯s off to a good start one game into the new campaign.
Manzardo finished a single shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs on Thursday, to lead the Guardians to a 7-4 win over the Royals on Opening Day at Kauffman Stadium.
¡°I've been leaving extra bases on the table for too long,¡± Manzardo quipped. ¡°I'm going to get as many [triples] as I can."
Manzardo¡¯s performance was historic in several ways:
? He became only the third player in MLB history (since 1901) to record a double, a triple and a homer on Opening Day. He joined Don Baylor (Orioles, 1973) and Gee Walker (Tigers, 1937).
? He tied Cleveland¡¯s record for RBIs on Opening Day, joining Tris Speaker (1925) and Leon Wagner (1964).
? He became the second player in Cleveland franchise history to record a homer and triple on Opening Day, joining David Justice -- who did so during the 1997 season opener against Oakland.
¡°He had an amazing day,¡± manager Stephen Vogt said. ¡°[It was] a really cool day for Kyle."
It was also a glimpse into Manzardo¡¯s potential to be a middle-of-the-order force for the Guardians this season and beyond. It was at least a continuation of where the 24-year-old left off last season.
Manzardo had a tough first stint in the Majors in 2024 (.571 OPS in 30 games) after his May 6 big league debut. He struggled adjusting to the rhythms of being a DH and not seeing consistent time in the field, and amid those struggles, the Guardians optioned him back to Triple-A Columbus on June 18.
Cleveland recalled Manzardo on Sept. 1, and he was much more productive in his second stint. He recorded an .873 OPS in 23 games down the stretch before hitting .385 (5-for-13) in five postseason games. By the postseason, he was batting second in the lineup against righties.
¡°He could be the anchor of our lineup,¡± said left fielder Steven Kwan, who went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI, of Manzardo.
¡°He gets to so many pitches. His pop is effortless, professional hitter, too. He's not just trying to pull the ball, but he¡¯ll capitalize on a mistake. He can work a plan. He does everything. It¡¯s such a mature approach from such a young guy, so it's fun to watch."
Manzardo estimated Thursday was only the second time he¡¯s hit a double, a triple and a homer in the same game; he recalled doing it once in college. He started things off by drawing a four-pitch walk against Royals ace Cole Ragans in the first inning.
Manzardo tripled in his second matchup with Ragans, smashing a liner down the right-field line in the fourth on an 87 mph slider at the bottom of the strike zone. The ball caromed off the side wall and along the bottom of the right-field fence.
¡°I just didn¡¯t execute the slider,¡± Ragans said. ¡°I threw a good one earlier in the at-bat, and then I just left it arm side."
In the sixth, Manzardo greeted Royals reliever Angel Zerpa by hitting a first-pitch two-run homer to right-center field. The blast, which traveled a Statcast-projected 424 feet with a 106.4 mph exit velocity, gave Cleveland a 4-3 lead. It came on a 97 mph sinker on the inner half of the plate.
¡°He throws really hard, a good sinker,¡± Manzardo said. ¡°I figured he¡¯d show it to me early, try to to get ahead. [I] jumped it."
¡°We felt really good about that matchup,¡± Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. ¡°Sometimes you got to tip your cap."
After Emmanuel Clase suffered a blown save in the ninth, Manzardo¡¯s two-run double in the 10th off Sam Long gave the Guardians a pair of insurance runs. His strong afternoon came against three left-handed pitchers in Ragans, Zerpa and Long, which was an added source of encouragement.
The bulk of Manzardo¡¯s playing time in the Majors last season came against right-handed pitching (126 at-bats), and he recorded a .724 OPS. He had a .566 OPS in just 19 at-bats against lefties.
¡°I¡¯ve hit lefties my whole life,¡± Manzardo said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to sit here and tell you that I'm better against left-handed pitchers or anything, but I always hit them growing up. So I'm excited for this year, excited to get those opportunities a little bit more.¡±