This story was excerpted from Mandy Bell’s Guardians Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The Guardians’ season has been hard to describe. When the pitching is lights-out, the bats have struggled. When the offense picks up steam, the pitching staff seems to run into obstacles. As soon as the team looks like it's gaining momentum, it runs into a roadblock.

What are some things currently going in Cleveland’s favor and others that are trending in the wrong direction? Let’s take a look at three of each:

Three up:

1. Allen and Bibee

When the offense is cold, the last thing a team wants is to deal with is injuries to its rotation. But somehow, the Guardians found a way to thrive under these circumstances. Logan Allen and Tanner Bibee have pitched well since their Major League debuts in April. Allen owns a 2.76 ERA, and Bibee’s is 3.20. And they each have earned their spots for the foreseeable future. 

“Awesome little catalysts on the bump,” Guardians outfielder Will Brennan said. “All we have to do is give them a couple runs and then we’re gonna win those games.”

2. Speaking of Brennan…

Brennan may be laying the foundation for a breakout. He’s struggled for most of this season, especially from April 18 until the beginning of this past week. In that span, he hit just .167 with a .431 OPS. But in his last 19 at-bats, entering Sunday, he logged 10 hits (.526 average) with two doubles, one homer and three RBIs. And with Andrés Giménez showing signs of heating up, along with the production Josh Naylor and José Ramírez have been able to bring to the table at times this season, Cleveland’s offense could be trending in a much better direction.

3. Rotation nearing full strength

Cal Quantrill will be down for a little bit, but the Guardians will at least have Aaron Civale and Triston McKenzie back in the rotation after McKenzie made his 2023 debut in Sunday’s series finale in Minnesota. If McKenzie can be the hurler he’s been the last year and a half, that will bring a much-needed boost to a roster that’s looking for more life. Pairing that with what Allen and Bibee have done already this season, Cleveland’s rotation could suddenly be one of the most impressive in the Majors.

Three down:

1. Zunino’s struggles

Guardians catcher Mike Zunino has seen a few more hits fall his way over the last week or two, but he still hasn’t been able to find a rhythm at the plate. Since the start of May, he’s gone 7-for-53 (.132) with 25 strikeouts in 17 games.

2. Rosario’s inconsistency

Every time Amed Rosario seems to be turning a corner, he takes at least one step back. He’s 0-for-his-last-15 and owns the fourth-worst fWAR in the Majors (-0.7). He may miss a day or two with some knee soreness now, which could end up being a nice reset for the shortstop. But for a hitter who’s been one of the most consistent for Cleveland the last two years, this has been a difficult hurdle to overcome.

3. AL Central record

This may be the toughest pill to swallow. The Guardians usually thrive against the AL Central, but this season, the club has lost 11 of its 18 matchups against division opponents (entering Sunday). Last year, the Guardians won 13 of 19 games against the Twins alone. Luckily for Cleveland, as it continues to sort out its early-season struggles, the division hasn’t been too competitive. But if the Guardians want to repeat as division champions in 2023, they will need to get back in the win column quickly.