The Cleveland Guardians haven’t found much success in the past month or so.
They took three out of four from the Detroit Tigers and looked poised to give them a run atop the AL Central.
But from then on, they’ve lost 12 out of 18 games.
Unfortunately, that’s why it’s not a surprise to see them tumble in power rankings.
Bleacher Report recently dropped the Guardians from No. 16 to No. 20, despite the presence of multiple likely AL All-Stars.
“Third baseman José Ramírez (.928 OPS, .324 BA, 29 XBH, 13 HR, 20 SB) earned his third start and sixth All-Star selection overall last year, and one way or another he will be part of the AL roster, and he should be part of the starting lineup. Outfielder Steven Kwan and setup man Cade Smith have the credentials to join him in Atlanta,” Reuter wrote.
There have been rumors floating about the team considering moving on from Ramirez, but that might not be in their best interests.
As much as they could get an elite trade package in return for the superstar third baseman, he has a no-trade clause, meaning that he can handpick the team he’s traded to, which might not be the team with the best offer for Cleveland.
Other than Ramirez, Kwan and Carlos Santana, this team hasn’t gotten much offensive production.
Their outfield has ranked near the bottom in almost every offensive category, and star prospect Chase DeLauter hasn’t been called up because of injuries.
The same goes for infielder Travis Bazzana, but even if they were at full strength and ready, a team can’t bank on two rookies to salvage a season.
The Guardians need to do something before it’s too late, and with the trade deadline looming, they will have to decide whether they will be buyers or sellers.
NEXT: Analyst Reveals Why Trading Guardians' Star Infielder Is 'Impractical'
