The Cleveland Guardians made history by getting to the playoffs last season. Ultimately, their offensive shortcomings were too much to overcome.
They turned to a rookie who hadn’t played a game in the majors to make his playoff debut because they were that desperate for offense. That has to change.
With that in mind, analyst Jeff Ellis urged the Guardians to trade for a veteran Los Angeles Angels outfielder.
“If I can trade a Logan Allen for Taylor Ward and maybe get a lotto ticket as well, this is a guy that I would like to add. Taylor Ward, last year, had the fourth-most home runs of any outfielder. 36 home runs. This is a guy who should only get better as he leaves Anaheim. I’m willing to give up pitching depth. Counting on rookies to automatically be good, it didn’t work last year. You need a few more players you can count on in a significant light, and Taylor Ward stood out,” Ellis said.
The Angels could use another reliable arm for their starting rotation. The Guardians may not have any aces available, but they have more than enough depth to be able to get by without Allen. They can trust young pitchers Joey Cantillo or Parker Messick to take spots in the rotation, like they did at the end of last season.
As for Ward, he’s the type of low-risk/high-reward pickup Cleveland’s front office usually makes. He’s not going to cost a lot of money, and he’s an underrated and productive player who can provide power to a lineup that needs some.
The Guardians need an offensive spark, and they could use some short-term help in the outfield. That will allow them to be patient with young and injury-prone players George Valera and Chase DeLauter.
The team isn’t known for making big moves. Yet they’ve proven that they might be just a couple of tweaks away from being a legitimate World Series contender.
NEXT: Young Guardians Slugger Could Emerge As 2026 Breakout Prospect
