The Cleveland Guardians need to find help at the plate.
They’re not going to spend a lot of money to fix their offense, so they have to be careful with the players they target.
With that in mind, analyst Justin Lada suggested they could make a run at an All-Star outfielder.
“You’re looking for someone who’s a little more consistent? What do you think about Ryan O’Hearn? It depends on what outfield spot you’re trying to fill. He still hits the sweet spot for how much that matters. He walks. He doesn’t strike out a ton. He has terrible arm strength, but he has great range, so he’s kind of the opposite of what the Guardians are doing outfield-wise. He’s not awful. He can’t be any worse than Nolan Jones was,” Lada said.
Adding a player like O’Hearn does make some sense.
He’s been a solid contributor for the Baltimore Orioles and can provide punch to the offense, and he’s a left-handed hitter.
Also, as much as his defensive shortcomings could be an issue, he can contribute at multiple positions.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt could have him play first base and put C.J. Kayfus in the outfield.
Vogt didn’t seem to trust Kyle Manzardo early last season, so he might not be convinced about him.
Also, O’Hearn could be the designated hitter when David Fry takes the field.
More importantly, the 32-year-old isn’t expected to cost a lot or demand a long-term deal, which are two things that are usually dealbreakers for this organization.
All things considered, the Guardians could do worse than adding him to their lineup.
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