The Cleveland Guardians capped a historically bad June 2025 with a .206 BA. As manager Stephen Vogt calls for calm, can the team rebound from its slump?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
The calendar has mercifully flipped on June, a month the Cleveland Guardians and their fans will be eager to forget. An off-day Monday provides a moment to reflect on one of the worst offensive months in franchise history, a brutal 30-day stretch that saw the team's bats go ice cold, culminating in a four-game losing streak and leaving the club sputtering at 40-42.
We’re all trying to be perfect right now... We need to relax. We need to just take a deep breath, take a step back and go play baseball.
The statistics are grim. The Guardians finished June with a paltry 9-15 record, underscored by a team batting average of just .206—tied for the third-worst single month in the long history of the franchise. They scored a mere 72 runs all month, the third-fewest for any June in team history. The recent struggles have been particularly acute; Cleveland has scored in only two of its last 40 innings, getting shut out three times during a homestand that saw them lose five of six. The off-day couldn't have come at a better time for a team desperately needing to hit the reset button.
Manager Stephen Vogt diagnosed the issue as a mental one, a team pressing too hard to break the slump. 'We need to score more. We need to get more going,' Vogt said. 'Everybody’s trying to be perfect. We need to relax.' That message of taking a 'deep breath' is a plea for his players to get back to basics. Meanwhile, President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti acknowledged the front office is actively seeking solutions, hinting that help may come from within. 'We do believe that we will get reinforcements and support from some players that are not yet at the major league level,' Antonetti stated, a comment that now carries significant weight.
Right on cue with Antonetti's comments, a major bright spot emerged from the farm system. First base prospect CJ Kayfus was officially named to the American League roster for the 2025 MLB All-Star Futures Game. Kayfus, the organization's fifth-ranked prospect, has been tearing the cover off the ball at Triple-A Columbus. He boasts a staggering .319/.414/.574 slash line with a .988 OPS, 11 homers, and a whopping 8 triples. His recent home run off a rehabbing Max Scherzer only amplified the buzz. While he might not be the immediate answer, Kayfus's performance is a powerful reminder of the talent pipeline and the very 'reinforcements' Antonetti spoke of.
Despite the brutal end to June, the Guardians are somehow still just 2.5 games out of a wild-card spot. The slate is wiped clean as July begins with a tough road series against the Chicago Cubs. Will the turn of the calendar be the mental reset the team needs? Can the offense find a pulse at Wrigley Field? Fans are hoping the future, represented by players like CJ Kayfus, arrives sooner rather than later, because the present is becoming harder and harder to watch.
