The Cleveland Guardians need help in the outfield, preferably someone who can get on base and hit home runs.
However, that player can’t already be a star, as the front office likely won’t spend big bucks on anyone.
With that in mind, analyst Jeff Ellis may have found a workable solution.
“If I was going to chase a hitter in free agency, maybe it’s not the most exciting guy, but I’d go for Mike Yastrzemski, because in the last five years, he’s had an above-average league production. He’s kind of like a right field version of [Steven] Kwan where he doesn’t chase, he doesn’t whiff, he walks. He gets by with baserunning and defensive value,” Ellis said.
The Guardians could use the former San Francisco Giants stalwart who finished last season with the Kansas City Royals.
He’s a proven veteran with playoff experience, and he’s likely not going to demand a steep salary.
Of course, the Guardians will likely have to compete with other teams for his services, but they could offer him the opportunity to be an everyday player, which may not be the case somewhere else.
The Guardians will also turn to young players for help in the outfield.
They rallied behind rookies C.J. Kayfus and George Valera during the final stretch of the regular season, and promoting Chase DeLauter to make his MLB debut in the playoffs speaks volumes about the confidence they have in him.
Even so, they can’t rely solely on them.
As such, going after a player like Yastrzemski might be realistic and the type of boost Cleveland needs this offseason.
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