Cleveland Indians: The Potential Platoon in Left Field

The Cleveland Indians are expecting Michael Brantley to return in 2017, but that doesn’t mean Brandon Guyer will be on the bench all season.

The Cleveland Indians enter the 2017 season with a loaded roster, which includes the returning Michael Brantley. He has not been fully cleared to return just yet, but all current signs point to him returning early on in the season, if not on Opening Day.

Given he does return, he will be playing in left field. But after returning from injury, it is not likely that he will play every game. That is where Brandon Guyer fits into the 2017 equation.

The two players can form a successful platoon in left field, which was the focus of a recent MLB.com article focusing on the best potential platoon situations in 2017, with the rankings going by wOBA (weighted on-base average).

Brantley and Guyer were ranked sixth, although the two could have been ranked higher if Brantley had played last season. Then again, there may be no Guyer in Cleveland in Brantley had not been out for most of the season.

Using a platoon situation in left field makes sense for Terry Francona in 2017. Brantley may be declared fully healthy, but he is going to be eased back into action regardless. He is too valuable to be rushed back, only to suffer another setback.

He could even still see some time at DH on his days not in the field, depending on whether Edwin Encarnacion or Carlos Santana needs a day off.

Francona used outfield platoons all last season, masking a lack of dominant talent by putting his players in the best possible situation to succeed. It is part of why he was named AL Manager of the Year, and why the Indians made it to the World Series.

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Expect the same in 2017, as Francona will only have more talent to work with, thus allowing players to receive much-needed rest without sacrificing the talent on the field.