The Cleveland Guardians made an intriguing move last offseason.
Even though he was in for a long recovery, they still chose to sign John Means.
They gave him a two-year deal with a player option for the second season, and they now have to make a decision about that.
With that in mind, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com suggested that the team should strongly consider keeping him around.
Even if they already seem to be all set in the starting pitcher department, he could probably fetch a decent return in a potential trade:
“The G’s have until five days after the end of the World Series to make a decision on Means. He rehabbed his left elbow all year after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery with the Orioles in 2024. The Guardians’ historic rally, especially in September, probably kept him off the mound more than any setback with his rehab. They already have six starters, who pitched well down the stretch. It won’t break the bank to exercise the option, and if he pitches well, he could bring a good return at some point next year,” Hoynes wrote.
While never an ace, Means was a very good player when he was healthy.
The former Baltimore Orioles star has struggled with multiple injuries in the past, but he could be a valuable asset for any contending team.
The Guardians chose to keep him on the shelf even though he was probably healthy enough to play.
They did this because they didn’t have any margin for error or couldn’t take any chances, which made perfect sense.
But after spending so much time and resources on helping him get back to full strength, they might as well get something out of that.
As things stand now, youngsters Joey Cantillo and Parker Messick look like locks to crack the starting rotation right out of the gate next season, and given the way they played down the stretch, there’s absolutely no reason to believe they’re not ready.
That makes Means redundant, but there’s no point in just letting him walk away for free.
NEXT: Guardians Executive Reveals Plans To Address Offensive Struggles
