Top 25 Indians in 2017: No. 25, Brandon Guyer

Cleveland Indians fans saw Brandon Guyer provide some postseason magic in 2016, only to deal with injuries throughout the 2017 season.

Brandon Guyer was never expected to be an everyday player for the Cleveland Indians in 2017, but only playing in 70 games and sustaining several injuries was never the plan.

Guyer provided some clutch hitting in the 2016 World Series, and fans were looking for a solid year from the veteran last season. A nagging wrist injury ultimately did him in, causing him to miss time in May, June, September and October.

He was able to compile a slash line of .236/.326/.327 when he did play, but the injuries prevented him from building any sort of rhythm. However, he still managed to get hit by a pitch eight times in limited action.

Injuries have been the theme of the Indians since 2016, and some fans are left wondering if the team would have already ended the title drought by now if not for some devastating injuries in both 2016 and 2017.

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Guyer’s presence in the 2017 ALDS may not have made a difference, but perhaps he could have provided a big hit to spark his club, the same way he did right before Rajai Davis gave us all a heart attack back in November 2016.

The good news for Guyer is that he is set to earn $2.75 million in 2018, and a solid season could mean the team picks up his option in 2019.

That option is for $3 million, which could be great for the team if he has a breakout season this year.

Lonnie Chisenhall, Bradley Zimmer and Michael Brantley are expected to take up a lot of time in the outfield in 2018, but a healthy Guyer will still see a lot of playing time in Terry Francona‘s famous platoons. Some fans may not like the strategy, but it’s a reality for this team.

All three of those starters spent some time on the disabled list in 2017, so Guyer could be in a position to step up and play in over 100 games, something he has only done twice in his career.

Next: Determining Mike Clevinger’s role in 2018

He didn’t do much for the team in 2017, but Brandon Guyer did enough to just crack our Top 25 Indians in 2017 list. Next up, a catcher whose future with the team may be in question.