As the MLB postseason plays out, Guardians fans are already looking ahead to the offseason, wondering if the Guardians could be in play for any free agents of remote significance.
Below, I am going to offer
a list of prominent free agents who might be of interest to the Guardians. I am not including starting pitchers (except for a couple recovering from injuries) because the Guardians have a lot of starting pitching. I also am not including players like Cedric Mullins who are in their 30’s and just had a bad season. Finally, I will be doing an article on potential trade targets but that’s going to take a LOT more time to research and compile. With that said, here are some names to be aware of when free agency starts:
Out of Their Price Range:
Alex Bregman, 3B, Pete Alonso, 1B, Cody Bellinger, OF, Kyle Schwarber, DH, Kyle Tucker, RF, Marcell Ozuna, DH, Bo Bichette, SS, Trent Grisham, CF
Analysis: Despite the temptation to write “Everyone” under this category, the above hitters are the only eight batters whom I’d be SHOCKED if the Guardians managed to sign this offseason. Allow me to add that I really don’t want them to sign Ozuna because of his domestic abuse history (plus, he’s a DH-only). Every single other one of these players would fit perfectly on the Guardians (Bregman can play second) and provide an incredible boost to their lineup. But, unless Paul Dolan gets bit HARD by a “Spend Money” bug, it’s just not happening.
Too Old Or “We Tried That Already”:
J.T. Realmuto, C, Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Eugenio Suarez, 3B, Josh Naylor, 1B, Mike Yastrzemski, OF, Ramon Laureano, OF, Amed Rosario, IF
Analysis: Realmuto, Goldschmidt and Suarez seem too expensive for their ages for the Guardians to consider, and Yastrzemski is a left-handed hitter, so that doesn’t work. And, as Hedges and Nolan Jones show, the Guardians aren’t afraid of reunions but I get the sense the partings with Naylor, Laureano and Rosario were less than harmonious, so I don’t think any of the three are particularly likely to return here, even if the money turns out to be reasonable. Laureano did have a great season and put up a 139 wRC+ against LHP as a right-handed hitter. Amed has been doing very well in the platoon role he should have played in Cleveland and has a 120 wRC+ vs. LHP for his career. But, again, I don’t know if there are bridges to repaired there, or not. If my perception is off on either of Laureano or Rosario (confident my perception on Josh Naylor is correct), I would definitely interested in a reunion for a bench role on a one-year deal at the right price.
Maaaaaaybe in the Sweet Spot:
-Gleyber Torres, RHH 2B, 113 wRC+ and 2.6 fWAR in 2025, 29 years old
-Ryan O’Hearn, LHH 1B/DH, 127 wRC+ and 3 fWAR in 2025, 32 years old
Analysis: The Guardians were credibly rumored to be in on Torres prior to the 2025 season. Turns out had they pulled that trigger, they likely would have won the division by a couple games and perhaps eliminated Detroit. Could they reconsider Torres on a one-year deal, bridging to Bazzana being ready? For his career, Torres is a 137 wRC+ hitter vs. LHP, so that fits well. He’s not a good defender, but perhaps the Guardians can help him with that.
O’Hearn has had a couple really good seasons, mostly facing RHP. Now, O’Hearn did put up a 135 wRC+ vs. LHP in almost 100 plate appearances last year, but he has a 78 wRC+ vs. southpaws for his career. I think interest from the Guardians in O’Hearn may depend on if they think he has made legitimate adjustments vs. LHP, and, of course, if he ends up interested in a 1-2 year deal. O’Hearn has looked like an above average first baseman by OAA and below average by DRS, so the jury is out. If O’Hearn could repeat his 2025, he’d be a great addition to the Guardians. That’s a big “if,” but he’s probably the most reasonably available potential middle of the order hitter to be had in free agency.
Just Their Style:
-Harrison Bader, RH CF, 106 wRC+ vs. LHP, still an excellent centerfielder, 31 years old
-Rhys Hoskins, RH DH, career 121 wRC+ (137 wRC+ vs. LHP), has been a bad first baseman but had 2 DRS and 1 OAA there last year in the Brewers’ defensive lab, 32 years old
-Rob Refsnyder, SH OF, 129 wRC+ vs. LHP and 76 wRC+ vs. RHP, average outfielder, 34 years old.
-Austin Slater, RHH OF, career 119 wRC+ vs. RHP, appears to be capable of playing average defense anywhere across the outfield, 33 years old.
-Lane Thomas, RHH OF – career 135 wRC+ vs. LHP, below average outfielder but capable of surviving in center.
-Wilmer Flores, RHH 1B – 113 wRC+ for his career vs. LHP, above average first baseman, 34 years old
Note: Willi Castro and Luis Rengifo are switch-hitting utility infielders both coming off awful seasons and neither has hit lefties well for their careers. So, I suppose the Guardians could hope for a rebound with either, but I’d prefer not to see them go in that direction.
Analysis: Well, good news is that if the Guardians want a player who can play first base or outfield and mash lefties, there are at least a few options that should be relatively affordable in free agency. I’d prefer they try to take a swing for better players for the right-handed, lefty masher role in trades, but if they decide to do something in this category, I think Hoskins is my choice. I think there is potential for him to have one more great offensive year so a 1-2 year deal for him would be about as good a gamble as I can see out there.
Other than that, Bader, Refsnyder, Slater and Thomas all offer reliable production against LHP when healthy. If Thomas legitimately wants to come back and he and the team are committed to him as a platoon player, I think that move would probably make the most sense financially and roster construction-wise. I don’t like Bader because of Yankees memories, but he is a very good centerfielder and can hit lefties, so that is something worth considering, once I swallow my bile.
Relievers:
-Devin Williams, RHP, 2.68 FIP in 2025, 31 years old
-Jakob Junis, RHP, 3.45 FIP in 2025, 33 years old
-Caleb Ferguson, LHP, 3.26 FIP in 2025, 29 years old
-Caleb Thielbar, LHP, 3.00 FIP in 2025, 38 years old
-Tyler Alexander, LHP, 3.64 FIP in 2025, 31 years old
Analysis: I don’t think Williams will fall into the Guardians’ price range, but I listed him just in case he feels like the Guardians’ pitching lab could give him a huge year and let him get one last huge contract. Give it some thought, Dev. Other than that, can’t see the Guardians signing a 38 year old Thielbar, but I could see them pursuing Junis, Ferguson or Alexander. More likely, however, they find a great option who is on waivers, in the Rule 5 draft, or available in a trade leading up to the Rule 5 draft and turn them into a Junis/Ferguson/ Alexander. They have done it over and over again. If I had to pick someone, though, I’d choose to bring Junis back. I’m a believer in his reliable production.
Rehabbing Starting Pitchers:
-Griffin Canning, RHP, 4.04 FIP until his achilles snapped, 29 years old
-Jordan Montgomery, LHP, 3.85 ERA for his career, recovering from TJ, 33 years old
-Jon Gray, LHP, 3.99 ERA for his career, recovering from TJ, 34 years old
Analysis: Definitely would be interested in Canning on the Boyd/Bieber track, but I suspect he’ll get a better offer elsewhere. Montgomery seems like the type they’d sign to see what he ends up being capable of by August 2026, if that’s something he and the Guardians are interested in.
Predictions: Hey, let’s get bold… I think the Guardians will explore the trade market first and foremost, but I think, if trades don’t materialize by the Winter Meetings-ish, they will land both Lane Thomas and Rhys Hoskins on one-year deals. Hoskins would be a “Let’s try the Josh Bell thing” again, and I don’t mind that. Bell was not bad; the team was bad. I think the theory is still sound. And, I think Thomas is a lefty masher and the team won’t give him an unjustified amount of playing time with Chase DeLauter and George Valera set to be on the roster.
