NEW YORK -- Jhonkensy Noel provided Guardians fans with a lasting memory last fall, when he launched a pinch-hit game-tying two-run blast in the ninth inning of a 5-3 win over the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALCS. That moment cemented the big slugger as a Cleveland postseason hero, and it was reflective of his ability as a middle-of-the-order force.
Coming off his epic postseason, Noel has experienced a challenging first few months of 2025, during which he’s struggled to get going offensively while receiving uneven playing time as part of a right-field platoon.
Amid his struggles, the organization has recognized the tough position Noel has been in.
“He’s obviously struggled,” Guardians president Chris Antonetti said this past weekend, “but it's really hard for a young player that's been an everyday player in the Minor Leagues to come up to the big leagues and play in a part-time role.
“It's especially hard for a guy to do that when he's on the short side of the platoon as a right-handed hitter. Those guys are only getting 25 or 30 percent of those plate appearances, and so it can be really difficult for a young player to transition into that role.”
Noel (who went 0-for-3 in the Guardians’ 4-0 loss to the Yankees on Thursday) has a .150/.173/.230 slash line in 44 games this season, with two doubles, two homers, nine RBIs, three walks and 33 strikeouts. He’s drawn 23 starts in right field, compared to 32 for the left-handed hitting Nolan Jones.
That imbalance has been a reflection of Guardians’ schedule this season. They’ve faced 48 right-handed starters compared to just 13 lefties, including New York’s Max Fried on Thursday.
“I just come here and try to do my job,” Noel said. “Whenever they call me, I just try to do the best that I can.”
It’s a challenging role, certainly for a player who still has just 111 big league games under his belt. Trying to get on track with limited reps doesn’t figure to make it any easier. Antonetti even recognized Noel likely could benefit simply from getting regular playing time. For a team that prioritizes playing matchups like the Guardians, his at-bats have proven less frequent.
Noel received an opportunity Thursday to provide the kind of impact moment he gave Cleveland last postseason, stepping to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh. But Yanks reliever Tim Hill was able to end the threat by getting Noel to fly out.
To his credit, Noel has said throughout this season that he comes to the ballpark each day with the same mindset. He goes through his routine before every game, whether or not he’s in the starting lineup, in an effort to stay ready.
“I’ve got to keep my mind clear,” Noel said. “That’s it.”
As manager Stephen Vogt noted, Noel’s role is challenging because it requires remaining locked in at all times and constantly taking mental notes while in preparation for the next opportunity.
“It’s not an easy role at all,” Vogt said. “It's very, very difficult to be playing as seldom as he is, and then come in and contribute. But you just have to keep yourself ready.”
Though Noel has struggled to be a power presence this season, he has not been alone in that aspect. Cleveland needs more production up and down the lineup.
Guardians right fielders entered Thursday with a .181/.229/.281 slash line. Jones had a tough start despite good underlying metrics, and has been turning a corner of late. Cleveland center fielders entered the day slashing .195/.230/.277, while its shortstops’ line stood at .182/.257/.232.
On Thursday, Fried allowed just one hit -- a José Ramírez infield single -- and walks to David Fry and Bo Naylor over six scoreless innings. He threw 27 pitches in the first inning but kept the Guardians off the board before settling in.
“We made him throw a lot of pitches,” Vogt said. “We just weren't able to get baserunners going. It's hard to square his ball up. He's got five, six different pitches. He has really added and subtracted the fastball velocity really, really well.
“He can pitch. He kept us off balance. … I was really proud of our at-bats off of him. We just weren't able to get baserunners. For him to get through six with his pitch count up like that, that was impressive."
Despite Thursday's outcome, Cleveland was still able to split its season series with New York, 3-3, after winning a three-game set at Progressive Field from April 21-23.
“We know we can play with anybody in the league, and we've proved that over and over,” Vogt said. “They're a really good team, and so are we. We just continue to battle and continue to grow and get better.”