The Guardians are looking for an outfielder – the White Sox, Brewers and Astros may have one available in a trade.
We are getting down to the nitty-gritty in our mock trades series. You can see our discussion
of potential trades with the Marlins, Pirates, Angels, Rays, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, and Orioles/Red Sox. Tomorrow, our series will wrap up with a look at some potential trades with the Phillies. For now, let’s take a look at some potential available outfielders from three teams who have all traded with the Guardians in recent memory:
Trade One: Guardians trade Kahlil Watson, LHH OF and Logan Allen, LHP to Chicago White Sox for Luis Robert, RHH CF, 28 year-old (owed $20M for 2026, with a $20M option for 2027).
Analysis: In Robert’s last 146 plate appearances he put up a 124 wRC+ with a 16.4/7.5 K/BB%. For his career, he has a 140 wRC+ against LHP and a 101 wRC+ against RHP. Now, over the past two years, he has had an 84 wRC+ both years, so being owed $20M should make the acquisition cost for Robert cheaper, as reflected avive. However, if the Guardians believe in his last 146 plate appearances from 2025 maybe they will pay an intra-division tax and include Juan Brito in this deal… but I doubt it. Robert had 0 DRS and 7 OAA in centerfield, so that’s a valuable defender. I know Guardians fans have seen Robert languishing with the White Sox but I really think there is a chance he could be at his career numbers or improve from them on a contender. No doubt that this deal is a gamble, however.
Trade Two: Guardians trade Hunter Gaddis, RHrP and Joey Oakie, RHP to the Milwaukee Brewers for Isaac Collins, OF, 28 years-old (under team control through 2030)
Analysis: Why would the Brewers trade a switch-hitting outfielder who appears to be a roughly average defender who put up a 122 wRC+ last season with a 131 wRC+ against RHP and a 106 wRC+ against LHP? They probably wouldn’t do it, but Collins IS 28 years old and probably just had a career year. He could be a useful player for the Guardians to use in left or right field and the Brewers need proven relief help. This isn’t my favorite option, however. I’d prefer to keep Gaddis and a solid, young prospect.
Trade Three: Guardians trade Juan Brito, SH IF to the Houston Astros for Jake Meyers, RHH OF, 29 years old (under team control through 2027)
Analysis: Brito’s power would play very nicely in Houston and Meyers would fit a perfect need in Cleveland. He has a career 110 wRC+ against LHP and plays a good centerfield. I have read that Houston wants pitching, so maybe the Guardians could expand this deal and build it around Slade Cecconi by having the Astros add a good-looking reliever or nice pitching prospect, but the swap here looks pretty even to me.
In all of these, we can see that getting players who can really help the Guardians will cost them some valuable pieces. In the case of the White Sox, there may also be an intra-division tax to consider. But, especially in the case of Robert and Meyers, they would fit a big need in centerfield.
