CLEVELAND GUARDIANS MIDSEASON AWARDS: Who have been the BEST & WORST players through 97 games

The Cleveland Guardians have positioned themselves as one of the American League's top contenders through 97 games, but which players deserve the biggest midseason honors—and who has fallen short of expectations? José Ramírez remains the heartbeat of the franchise despite his recent stint on the injured list, while Travis Bazzana has exceeded expectations as a rookie. Cade Smith has continued to establish himself as one of baseball's premier relievers, Parker Messick earned an All-Star selection in his breakout campaign, and offseason additions like Freddy Peralta and Aroldis Chapman have helped strengthen one of the AL's deepest pitching staffs. On the other side of the conversation, which Guardians have underperformed enough to warrant criticism through the first half? The bigger question is who will define Cleveland's second-half story. Can José return and immediately elevate the offense, will Bazzana continue his Rookie of the Year-caliber season, and can the pitching staff carry this team toward an AL Central title and beyond? If you were handing out Guardians midseason awards today, who's your MVP, biggest surprise, biggest disappointment, and second-half breakout pick? Subscribe and ring the bell for the latest talk about the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Guardians, Cleveland Cavaliers and Ohio State Buckeyes: https://bit.ly/ucss_subscribe Follow on Twitter:   / ultclesports   Watch live on YouTube 11 a.m.-1 p.m. weekdays on YouTube and WKYC+ on your Roku and Fire TV apps! The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show is your daily source of the best conversation about the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Guardians, Cleveland Cavaliers and Ohio State Buckeyes, as well as sports throughout Northeast Ohio. Produced by Mike Lucas, Anthony Antonelli, and Earl Mauldin. Hosted by Jay Crawford, Adam the Bull, G Bush, Jason Lloyd, and Tyvis Powell.