Where are the Guardians entering this offseason, and how much of a difference can be made for the current roster on what is, assumedly, a shoestring budget?
For fun, because I miss Guardians’ baseball after that jolt of a baseball thrill ride last night, I want to take a look at where the Guardians’ 26-man roster currently stands and where it COULD be if they make some inexpensive upgrades.
Lineup
- Steven Kwan – LF
- Chase DeLauter – CF
- Jose Ramirez – 3B
- Kyle Manzardo – DH
- CJ Kayfus – 1B
- Juan Brito – 2B
- George Valera – RF
- Bo Naylor – C
- Brayan Rocchio – SS
Bench: Austin Hedges – C David Fry – C/1B/RF Angel Martinez – CF/LF/RF Daniel Schneemann – 2B/SS/3B/OF
Additional Depth to Consider: Petey Halpin CF, Kahlil Watson CF, Cooper Ingle C, Zack Cozart C, Johnathan Rodriguez, DH, Jhonkensy Noel RF/1B, Nolan Jones OF, Gabriel Arias SS, Travis Bazzana 2B, Ralphy Velazquez 1B/RF/DH
Analysis: I feel a lot better about the Guardians’ roster now than I did in April of 2026. Now, in April, I still had optimism that Nolan Jones (after suffering a back injury and managing the birth of a sick baby in 2024) might bounce back to be a good hitter against RHP, but I feel better about seeing a healthy DeLauter and Valera in the playoffs and imagining their presence on the team than I did about Jones. I feel like the fanbase has generally lost perspective on how good of a hitter Juan Brito has been in the minors – he walks a lot and pulls fly balls a lot – and how even his splits have been, so are underestimating how much a healthy Brito can help this team. The team, as constituted above, really needs Fry and Martinez to maintain their 120 wRC+‘s against LHP. If they do that, then Fry can get starts at first base, right field and some time at catcher against LHP to spell Kayfus, Manzardo, Valera and Bo, while not being a strict platoon for any of those players. The team can also choose to stash Johnathan Rodriguez as a Fry substitute (at DH. I refuse to imagine Rodriguez playing another inning in rght field). If Martinez can hone his centerfield abilities in the offseason, he’s fine to split time with DeLauter there to help load manage for Chase, and the team has Halpin and Watson behind him.
Choices will have to be made with Arias, Noel, and Jones, as none of them have options remaining (I have chosen Rocchio over Arias because since his return in July, Rocchio was a league average hitter and he is about a year younger than Arias, so there is still hope). In this scenario, I would either trade all three, see if you can get them through waivers, or let them go. But, the team has exciting players behind Bo if he continues to be unable to put things together at the plate in Ingle and Cozart, and behind Brito if he doesn’t hit in the bigs in number one pick Bazzana, and behind Kayfus should he struggle in Velazquez. The depth here is decent… except on the right-handed hitting side of things. More on that later.
Rotation:
- Gavin Williams, RHP
- Tanner Bibee, RHP
- Joey Cantillo, LHP
- Parker Messick, LHP
- Slade Cecconi, RHP
Depth: Logan Allen, LHP, John Means, LHP (?), Austin Peterson, RHP, Ben Lively, RHP, Kahl Stephen, RHP
Analysis: Personally, I’d expect the Guardians to pick up John Means’ option and bring him to Spring Training. If they emerge from Spring Training with Williams, Bibee, Cantillo, Messick and Cecconi intact and Means is looking good, then they can do a late-Spring Training trade with a team in need of a starter. Allen, and Lively when healthy, can also be depth for the rotation or long-men for the bullpen as needed, or included in a trade if a team is in love with the idea of one of them as a fifth starter. Stephen and Peterson should be very valuable depth. Allow my positioning of Cantillo as the third starter here remind people that I like Cantillo a LOT, but, again, I do think he can be an absolutely elite reliever and transitioning him to that role MIGHT be the most economical way to fix the current bullpen below. However, Cecconi also might be a great choice for that transition, as needed.
Bullpen:
- Zak Kent, RHP
- Kolby Allard, LHP
- Franco Aleman, RHP
- Tim Herrin, LHP
- Matt Festa, RHP
- Hunter Gaddis, RHP
- Erik Sabrowski, LHP
- Cade Smith, RHP
Depth: Yorman Gomez, RHP, Daniel Espino, RHP, Steven Perez, LHP, Matt Jahec, RHP, Jake Miller, RHP, Tanner Burns, RHP, Alaska Abney, RHP.
Analysis: When you list it like this, it’s pretty clear that despite how bad the Guardians’ offense was this past season, the team will prioritize fixing the bullpen, by adding depth and proven good arms. They have always prioritized bullpen needs in the past few offseasons, and they will again. Now, they may be able to find fixes in small trades or waiver claims, but I would be surprised if they don’t make one and PROBABLY two notable free agent signings to help this group out.
Predicting the Additions:
The Guardians saw their rotation needed help last offseason and they made trades to fix it. So, I do think they will make a trade for a proven hitter, either someone who can play a corner outfield position, or first base, or designated hitter, and it will probably be someone who hits LHP well. If Willson Contreras doesn’t have them on his 10-team no-trade list, that’s my favorite realistic option. But, Taylor Ward, Yandy Diaz, Alex Bohm, Jake Meyers, Luis Robert and Ryan Mountcastle are names to watch here for me. For the purposes of our exercise today, I’m going to be as realistic as possible and say the Guardians manage to land Bohm from the Phillies. In that case, I do think they’d find a way to sign one of the right-handed hitting outfielders who can play centerfield in free agency either Harrison Bader (less likely), Austin Hays (if the Reds don’t pick up his option), Austin Slater or Lane Thomas. I think it will be Thomas if only because he’ll be the most inexpensive and available of the bunch, but out of respect for all the commenters who will say “aNyOnE bUt LaNe!!!”, I am choosing Slater below.
I will also mention that I wouldn’t be shocked if the Guardians tried a second baseman like a trade for Brandon Lowe, or Brendan Donovan or signing Jorge Polanco or MAYBE Gleyber Torres. That would allow Brito to be in the mix at first base and in the outfield and put zero pressure on Bazzana to make an impact in 2026.
Aside from any number of relievers they could target in trades (some listed here), I think the Guardians will try to see who is most reasonably available from among Jakob Junis RHP, Tyler Alexander LHP, Phil Maton RHP, or Caleb Ferguson LHP. For the purposes of our exercise, I’m going to say the Guardians splurge for a return venture with Phil Maton PLUS Caleb Ferguson for a one-year deal AND add a Porter Hodge, RHP from the Cubs in a trade (a player they should be able to get the most from). So, here you go:
Lineup:
- Kwan, LF
- DeLauter, CF
- Ramirez 3B
- Manzardo, DH
- Alec Bohm, 1B
- Valera/Slater, RF
- Brito, 2B
- Bo, C
- Rocchio, SS
Bench:
Hedges, C
Schneemann, IF
Kayfus OR Fry, 1B/OF
Slater, OF
Rotation:
1. Williams, RHP
2. Bibee, RHP
3. Cantillo, LHP
4. Messick, LHP
5. Cecconi, RHP
Bullpen:
1. Hodge, RHP
2. Festa, RHP
3. Maton, RHP
4. Herrin, LHP
5. Ferguson, LHP
6. Sabrowski, LHP
7. Gaddis, RHP
8. Smith, RHP
Is that team dramatically improved from the above version. Not dramatically, but notably and significantly in terms of roster depth. So, hey, pay attention Dolan/Antonetti/Chernoff… the bar is low to improve this team. Be sure that you clear it.
