The Cleveland Guardians reached the ALCS last season.
So, even though they moved on from some of their best players in the offseason, they were still expected to be a contending team this year.
Fast forward to today, and that doesn’t seem to be the case.
The Guardians struggled mightily in June, dropping almost two out of every three games.
However, even if the struggles only showed up recently, former Cleveland star Albert Belle said it was a long time coming.
Belle said the Guardians’ decline started when they traded away Josh Naylor during the offseason.
He raved about Naylor’s offense and how much the Guardians could use him right now, and Belle called them out for not wanting to pay him what he was worth.
“Naylor hit almost .300 last year, and he’s hitting .300 with the [Arizona] Diamondbacks. He finally found his little niche. The Guardians were complaining about his weight and his defense, but that was going to come in time. I think that was kind of the start of the snowball effect. You wanted to pay Shane Bieber to basically be a cheerleader and rehab all season. You gave him $14 [million], and then you didn’t want to give Naylor $12 [million], so I thought that was the start of the downfall,” Belle said, via ESPN Cleveland.
"That was kind of the start of the snowball effect" – Albert (Belle) in Scottsdale on the Guardians trading away Josh Naylor. pic.twitter.com/vGg5kzirwh
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 30, 2025
Naylor has been spectacular for the Diamondbacks this season.
On the other hand, the Guardians have struggled with a lack of firepower and offensive production, and it doesn’t seem like they have the weapons to turn it around on their roster right now.
They could call up some of their high-end prospects, but putting it on rookies to save the season might not be wise, accurate, or fair.
The Guardians have always been a financially conscious team, so the decision to trade Naylor wasn’t a surprise.
Unfortunately, it might have been the beginning of the end for a once-promising season.
NEXT: Guardians Insider Explains Why Team Is At A Crossroads
