The Guardians are communicating a consistent message about their plans to handle their offensive issues this offseason, and it’s problematic.
Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic is the latest person to share
insights from the Guardians’ front office in an article:
“They… are reluctant to block opportunities for a number of younger hitters, some of whom already have reached the majors, others of whom are closing in. Now they want to see more of Chase DeLauter, George Valera and C.J. Kayfus in the outfield, and leave room for Juan Brito and Travis Bazzana to eventually join the infield. …the Guardians want to add a right-handed complement… they were willing to offer [Lane Thomas] at-bats only on the short-side of the platoon.”
The Guardians need to stop gaslighting their fans and simply admit that they are not going to spend money to improve their hitting group. The team had the third lowest wRC+ in MLB in 2025 at 87. Their plan is that their young hitters will fix this… despite both President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti and General Manager Mike Chernoff repeatedly telling fans asking to see young players like Chase DeLauter in the big leagues that young players often have to come up and experience failure and be sent back down to adjust, before they can be relied on to reliably produce.
Fans all know that the Guardians have some good depth for first base and right field in C.J. Kayfus, George Valera and Chase DeLauter. Potentially, also with Juan Brito who has played in both spots in the minors, as well as second base. They also know that George Valera and Chase DeLauter cannot, in any reasonable world, be seen as likely to be able to play a full season of games given their respective injury histories. If they do, awesome! But, it can’t be the primary plan for this team to get even 120 games from either player. So, Kayfus and Brito need to be seen as frontline options for right-field and, in Brito’s case, probably first base. The options in centerfield are Chase DeLauter, Daniel Schneemann, Angel Martinez, Petey Halpin, Kahlil Watson and, maybe now, Stuart Fairchild who just accepted a minor-league deal.
To be honest, I have come to a place of acceptance in the outfield. If DeLauter can’t handle centerfield, as long as the team doesn’t care about being inept their against left-handed pitching, I think they can cobble something together there. It isn’t preferable, it makes me sick to think about it, but I think Halpin can be a great defender and an average hitter against RHP, Angel Martinez can be an average hitter against LHP and perhaps not the worst centerfielder in baseball. That’s acceptable.
Where the Guardians are gaslighting fans is to think that bringing in a first baseman/DH to hit in the middle of this lineup would somehow block anyone meaningfully. They aren’t going to start Travis Bazzana on the team out of spring training, so Juan Brito has a spot at second base. It’s pretty unlikely that both Valera and DeLauter will be healthy out of spring training, so Kayfus is desperately needed as an option in right field. And, none of these player should be seen as immediate middle of the order threats in a lineup trying to win a World Series. I hope DeLauter, Kayfus, Valera and Brito ARE thumpers. But, again, as the team executives have repeatedly emphasized, we should feel very good if three of the four can even manage to be league average at-bats or a little better in their first years.
The team needs a proven, middle-of-the-order hitter who can play at first base and DH as needed. We all know Kyle Manzardo is a terrible defender at first base and gaining 14 pounds of muscle doesn’t seem likely to change the footwork he has that most closely resembles a giant toddler trying to play Dance, Dance Revolution. If he is willing to waive his no-trade clause, the Guardians could have Willson Contreras for this role for basically the price of his contract (2 years at $18M). They could sign a Ryan O’Hearn. They could even potentially pry Yandy Diaz away from a Rays’ team seemingly willing to sell on any players making any money. In any of these three cases, they would provide a veteran presence who can comfortably hit in the middle of a playoff lineup.
The reason the Guardians won’t do it isn’t because they are afraid of blocking C.J. Kayfus. The Guardians know that Kayfus is no sure thing at the plate, and they know they’re probably going to need him in right field (even Rosenthal’s piece indicates as much). The reason they won’t do it isn’t because they are afraid of blocking Juan Brito. They’ll play Brito at second base until Bazzana is ready and then move him to a IF/OF role where he sees regular time, especially against LHP, as needed. The reason they won’t do it isn’t because they believe David Fry is the 130 wRC+ hitter he was from 2023-June 2024 not the 79 wRC+ hitter he has been since July 2024.
The reason the Guardians have changed their tune from end of the year meetings where they spoke openly about the need to upgrade their lineup is because their ownership doesn’t want them to spend money. The front office has a very limited budget to use, as Rosenthal indicates, so they are going to go full-on youth movement and allow some room to upgrade in July as need be. They can feel free to prove me wrong about this, but I can get the message, and I can see through the gaslighting. I’m not an idiot.
If the Guardians want to make me a very happy idiot, however, they can call up the Cardinals and say, ‘We are happy to take on Willson Contreras’s contract, and even through in a Single-A prospect you like.“ They, then, demonstrate to Jose Ramirez, their fans and their coaches that they understood the assignment – give the middle of this lineup a legitimate threat and make it so Kyle Manzardo doesn’t have to do his dance routine in 150 games at first base. It’s real simple – all it takes is money.
- Kwan LF
- DeLauter CF
- Jose 3B
- Contreras 1B
- Manzardo DH
- Valera or Kayfus and Fry RF
- Brito 2B
- Bo C
- Rocchio SS
Bench: Angel Martinez, OF, Schneemann or Arias IF, Hedges C.
That’s it. That is a lineup that isn’t held together by prayers and some plastic ties. Not a hard ask.
I want to end by acknowledging that in September, during their magical run to a division title, the Guardians made it all the way up to TWELFTH in MLB for the month at 101 wRC+. A 101 wRC+ as a team is probably going to be enough to win the AL Central for the Guardians if they get their usual production from pitching, the way things are going for their foes this offseason. Maybe the Guardians front office legitimately thinks their offense with full doses of their young players is more of a 101 wRC+. But, let’s still be clear – the only reason they aren’t raising that floor with a legitimate middle-of-the-order hitter addition is because they do not have the authority to spend that money. We know it, they know it, and I’m done pretending otherwise.
