SACRAMENTO — Talent is one thing. Consistency is another.

When a player consistently shows his talent, he is a manager’s dream.

The Guardians have three players in their everyday lineup that meet that criteria — Jose Ramirez, Steven Kwan and Carlos Santana. The rest of the lineup has shown flashes of talent, but has been way short on consistency.

Inexperienced players are like that. They are up and down like an elevator.

Angel Martinez and Kyle Manzardo have been on that elevator this season.

Martinez appeared in his first game for the Guardians this year on April 11. In his first 17 games, he hit .333 (19 for 57) with four doubles, one triple and a .778 OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage). He forced manager Stephen Vogt to give him more playing time, which is how the system is supposed to work.

With the increase in playing time, Martinez needed to show consistency. He is still looking for that.

The switch-hitting utility man hit .213 (19 for 94) with four doubles, three homers and 15 RBI in 26 games in May. His on-base percentage dropped from .339 in April to .245 in May, while his strikeouts jumped from nine to 18.Through 14 games in June, Martinez is hitting .204 (11 for 54) with one homer and four RBI. He has struck out 16 times and his on-base percentage has tumbled to .218.

“I’ve just got to keep working,” said Martinez, who doubled twice in the Guardians’ 2-1 loss to the Giants on Thursday. “It’s a long season, and the league has made an adjustment to me.”

What exactly has been the adjustment?

“That’s my secret, for sure,” said Martinez, with a smile. “I feel like I did a good job (in Thursday’s game). I’ve just go to keep pushing through.”

Martinez, even with the two doubles, is still in an 11 for 59 skid.

Manzardo is in the same situation. In Wednesday’s 4-2 win over the Giants, he went 2 for 4 with two doubles, but is still in a 10 for 53 funk.

In Manzardo’s first 27 games of the season, including March and April, he hit .220 (20 for 91) with three doubles, eight homers, 19 RBI and a .853 OPS.In 24 games in May, he hit .200 (17 for 85) with three doubles, two homers and nine RBI. His OPS dropped to .621.In 12 games in June, he’s hitting .222 (8 for 36) with one homer, three RBI and a .639 OPS.

“I’m just trying to hunt the hard stuff up in the zone that’s close to me,” said Manzardo. “I’m trying to stay through the ball long enough to keep it fair.”

Vogt has seen some encouraging signs from Manzardo of late. That includes the two doubles on Wednesday.

“We know Manzo can hit,” said Vogt. “He’s been going through it the last few weeks … just as we have as a team.

“He got a couple of pitches to hit (Wednesday). He was under control. He had a really solid lower half. He wasn’t drifting forward, which allowed him to get the bat head out.”

Manzardo’s two doubles came off right-hander Justin Verlander. But he was out of the lineup Thursday when the Giants started another right-hander in Logan Webb. Instead Jose Ramirez DH’d, while Daniel Schneemann started at third and the left-handed hitting Manzardo was on the bench.

“We have to place bets,” said Vogt. “That’s what you’re doing when you move players around (to make out a lineup). Our roster works best when everybody is playing.

“A lot of times you use the platoon or sidedness (right or left-handed) to give guys days off. It’s hard to play 162 games. We face so few lefties that it almost presents a off day for the guys who face righties and vice versa.”

Fire down below

Highlights from Thursday’s games in the Guardians’ minor league system

OF Chase DeLauter homered for the second time in two games as Triple-A Columbus lost to Indianapolis, 8-6. DeLauter, who has four homers since joining the Clippers, went 1 for 4 with two RBI.INF Milan Tolentino homered and drove in three runs. Tolentino has nine homers.LHP Rodney Boone (5-3, 2.17) struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings as Double A Akron beat Portland, 7-6.OF Guy Lipscomb went 2 for 4 with a homer.LHP Josh Hartle allowed one run on one hit in four innings as Class A Lake County beat South Bend, 6-2.Juan Brito, playing right field, went 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBI as Cleveland’s Arizona Complex team fell to the Angels, 12-7. Brito is rehabbing a surgically repaired right thumb.RHP Tyler Naquin threw a scoreless fourth inning in that game. Naquin, a former outfielder with Cleveland, is attempting a comeback as a pitcher.