The 51-51 Cleveland Guardians might be playing some of the most important games of their season.
The trade deadline is on July 31 at 6 pm ET, and how they fare in the upcoming games might help shape their strategy.
Will the Guardians be aggressive now that they are 7.5 games removed from first place in the AL Central and actually acquire the big bat they need?
Will they pivot and get a haul for reliever Emmanuel Clase or Steven Kwan?
Will they just ‘trim the fat’ and trade players on expiring contracts and veterans?
It’s all within the realm of possibilities as of Saturday afternoon.
Cleveland sports analyst Bruce Drennan doesn’t believe anything major will happen, though.
“I think the team will stand pat, and I’m in favor of that. They won’t make any major deals,” he said.
Are the #Guardians on the verge of making a BIG move before the deadline? #GuardsBall
"No top prospects for a big bat."
-Bruce pic.twitter.com/8tUZUUDLiL
— Bruce Drennan Show (@Bruce_Drennan) July 26, 2025
He explained that there could be some minor trades, but he is not expecting a blockbuster either by buying or selling.
“(There will be) no top prospects for a big bat, and I don’t necessarily see (the Guardians) selling players, like Carlos Santana or Lane Thomas. What can you get in return?” he questioned.
With Paul Sewald and Thomas on the injured list and Santana struggling to provide league-average offensive performance, Cleveland doesn’t really have much to sell when it comes to rentals.
If they are willing to get creative, however, they could get some really exciting packages for controllable stars like Clase, Kwan, Cade Smith, and other young pieces.
Those could be hard to sell to the fanbase, though, so there is a good chance they stand pat when August comes.
NEXT: Stephen Vogt Gives Unfortunate Injury Update On Lane Thomas
