Should Kahlil Watson Gets Another MLB Opportunity With the Guardians?
· Yahoo Sports
When the Cleveland Guardians called up Kahlil Watson to make his MLB debut in the middle of June, the team was in a desperate spot amid injuries and needed to see whether the young outfielder could provide a boost in the lineup.
It took Watson a little while to acclimate to the big-league level, but once he did, he gave the team a boost. The rookie even put together separate six- and seven-game hitting streaks, including a walk-off win over the Chicago White Sox.
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Once Jose Ramirez came off the injured list, Watson was the odd man out and rejoined the Columbus Clippers.
As Watson continues his development in the Minors, it is fair to question whether or not he’ll ever get another chance to showcase his impact at the big-league level.
The left-hander continues to put up impressive stats in the Minors, which is the first step to another call-up.
Before being called up, Watson logged a 125 wRC+ at Triple-A, and he’s been a very similar player since returning to Columbus at the end of July. The left-hander has a .783 OPS and a 110 wRC+ with a strikeout rate of 24.8 percent and six extra-base hits since being optioned on July 23.
Those are objectively decent numbers, especially for someone who is still 23. But again, is it enough to get another chance at the big-league level with the Guardians?
The answer is an easy yes, but the more complicated answer is yes, at some point.
Watson showed enough during his time in Cleveland and through the Minor League season as a whole to warrant more at-bats.
The problem is that that point may not come during the 2026 season and might be later in 2027 because of the current roster makeup.
The Guardians already have a crowded outfield group, with Steven Kwan, Jo Adell, Chase DeLauter, and Angel Martinez all having clear roles and needing at-bats. A case can be made for a Watson-for-Petey Halpin swap, but Cleveland really values its center fielders’ defense.
It also doesn’t help that Watson is a left-hander, and the Guardians still have a pretty unbalanced lineup.
If Watson catches fire next month, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get the call with expanded rosters in September.
Eventually, Watson should and will get another opportunity, but unless another injury occurs, it’s hard to envision that happening in 2026 without other unforeseen circumstances.