Travis Bazzana Is Already Doing This in Just 12 Games and the Angels Have No Answer

The Cleveland Guardians just dropped 7 runs and 10 walks on the Angels in Monday's opener, and they're not slowing down. Travis Bazzana, the 23-year-old Australian rookie second baseman, is the engine driving this thing, and he's hitting a gear that should terrify every team left on Cleveland's schedule.

Here's what jumped out: in just 12 games played, Bazzana is already tied for second on the team with seven stolen bases. That's not a typo. The kid came up and immediately understood the assignment. Monday night he went deep with a two-run double in the third inning and drew two walks. When asked about the hot start, Bazzana kept it real.

"I felt comfortable in the box from the get-go," Bazzana said, "but I am really starting to get it going."

The baserunning threat is already a problem

What makes Bazzana special right now isn't just that he's getting on base. It's what he does once he gets there. The guy has "had lots of opportunities to run lately," and he's being smart about it. "I wanted to be very efficient on the bases," Bazzana said, "and I have started to understand when it's a good time to run and when it's not."

That's the kind of baseball IQ that doesn't usually show up in a rookie this quick. He's not just running wild and hoping for the best. He's reading defenses, understanding pitcher tendencies, and executing. This is the kind of kid who could legitimately steal 30 bases in a full season if he keeps this pace.

The Guardians left 10 runners on base Monday and went just 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position, which isn't ideal. Bench coach Tony Arnerich filled in for manager Stephen Vogt, who missed his second straight game dealing with a viral infection. Arnerich made it clear they're going to keep working the efficiency angle at the plate.

"The guys want to get it done, obviously, they're trying," Arnerich said. "It's about having conversations about where their headspace was at and what their approach was in an at-bat."

Tuesday brings a fresh matchup with a pitcher looking to prove it

Los Angeles is throwing Walbert Urena (1-3, 3.22 ERA) at the Guardians on Tuesday. The right-hander just earned his first career win against the White Sox on Wednesday, tossing six innings of two-hit, one-run ball with three walks and five strikeouts in an 8-2 Angels victory. This will be Urena's first career matchup against Cleveland.

Coming out of spring training as a reliever, Urena got a brief minor league stint before landing in the rotation. He's embraced the change. "Being a reliever was new for me at that point," Urena said. "Being a starter is really better for me because that's what I've done all my career. And now I'm getting my chance to do it."

Cleveland counters with Slade Cecconi (2-4, 6.15), who just beat Kansas City on Thursday with two runs allowed on six hits, three walks, and three strikeouts across 5 1/3 innings in an 8-5 win. Problem: Cecconi has a rough history against the Angels. In two career starts against them, he's 0-1 with a 14.73 ERA. Los Angeles crushed him in 2024, scoring seven runs on 10 hits in three-plus innings, and came back for five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings last year.

Angels manager Kurt Suzuki knows Tuesday is about tightening things up. "It's going to be hard to win a game when you allow that many walks," Suzuki said, referring to Monday's 10-walk nightmare.

Cleveland has just four wins over their last nine games heading into this one. Los Angeles has it worse: they're 5-16 over their past 21. The Guardians and

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.