The Cleveland Guardians could use some more firepower at the plate. Their decision to keep Nolan Jones was a bit of a head-scratcher, and the fans can only hope that’s not going to be the only move they make for their outfield.
With that in mind, Jeff Ellis of Locked on Cleveland had an interesting proposition for this team. In the latest edition of the show, he urged them to take a look at Tyler Soderstrom.
The Athletics’ outfielder should gauge some interest in the trade market. Then again, he’s not a big name, so he should be around the Guardians’ usual and preferred price range:
“The other player, even more unlikely, but someone you have to talk about. If you’re going to sell the farm for a guy, I think you gotta take a look at Tyler Soderstrom. He hit well on the road 125 wRC+. He hit 25 home runs. This is the type of guy you want to target overall. If you’re going to pay a heavy cost, this is the type of guy I want to go after,” Ellis said.
Soderstrom quietly had quite a strong season for the Athletics last season. He was a Gold Glove finalist in left field, and he was also a much-improved hitter. He’s just 24 years old, and he finished the year with a .276 batting average, a .346 OBP, a team-best 93 RBI, 75 runs scored, 25 home runs, a 3.4 fWAR, and a 125 wRC+.
Of course, the Guardians should already be all set at left field with Steven Kwan there. Unfortunately, he’s also a prime trade candidate for this offseason. Considering that, Soderstrom could be the type of young pickup with an upside and on a reasonable deal the Guardians could target.
The fans would obviously rather have Kwan there for the long run. Even so, with the way this team usually operates, it’s hard to believe that’s going to be the case this time around.
NEXT: Analyst Reveals Guardians' Biggest Free Agency Need
