CLEVELAND (AP) — 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 ove

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