CLEVELAND — Jhonkensy Noel, who hit a game-tying homer in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, was optioned to Triple-A Columbus by the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday.
Noel batted only .146 with two homers and nine RBIs in 46 games after making the opening day roster for the first time. The right-handed hitter found himself on the short side of a platoon in right field, limiting him to 103 at-bats.
“It hasn’t been the start to the season that he would have liked or that we would have liked,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “We know how good of a player that he is, so we told Jhonkensy to just go play, go relax and go back to being you.”
Nicknamed “Big Christmas,” the 6-foot-3, 250-pounder belted a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the ninth inning of what became a 7-5 victory over the New York Yankees in 10 innings last Oct. 17.
Cleveland lost the ALCS in five games, but Noel’s shot to left field was one of the more memorable moments at Progressive Field since the ballpark opened in 1994.
“We still hold true to the belief that Jhonkensy — the best version of him — helps us win games,” Vogt said. “He plays an unbelievable right field, he’s a good baserunner and he has the power to hit it out of the yard. It just hasn’t been there yet this year.”
Johnathan Rodriguez was recalled from Columbus and started in right field in the Guardians’ three-game series finale against the Houston Astros.
Cleveland also announced that outfielder Will Brennan and right-hander Andrew Walters will both undergo surgery Monday.
Brennan has been sidelined with left elbow inflammation since May 22, while Walters experienced a right lat strain May 30 while pitching against Angels star Mike Trout.
