The Cleveland Guardians could use some firepower on their offense. That should be the primary point of emphasis in the offseason.
This team doesn’t usually spend big or go after prominent free agents. If anything, chances are any reinforcements will come via trade.
With that in mind, ESPN analysts named the Guardians as a potential fit for Washington Nationals All-Star C.J. Abrams.
“Abrams has been the worst defensive shortstop over the past three seasons (-31 runs), with the next-closest player at -15 runs. But he is a solid hitter, with close to average power and on-base figures, and is also an elite baserunner, ranking sixth in baseball over the past three seasons (+18 runs) due in large part to his 109 stolen bases in that span. If he were to excel defensively in center field while leveling up at the plate, he could still grow into a star, but those are two pretty big ifs,” Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan wrote.
This makes sense to a degree. Abrams is a talented hitter, and he’d definitely give Cleveland a much-needed offensive boost.
That being said, he also happens to be one of the worst defensive shortstops in the game, and a switch to the outfield could be in his future. The Guardians aren’t gifted enough on offense to make up for defensive flaws, and even if he brings some juice to the lineup, it might not be enough. On top of that, Cleveland is stacked in the middle of the infield.
As things stand, the Guardians can count on Brayan Rocchio, Gabriel Arias, Angel Martinez, Juan Brito and Daniel Schneemann. They also have two elite prospects in Travis Bazzana and Angel Genao.
The Guardians definitely need to go after some hitters. Yet they might be better off steering clear of Abrams, as he’s likely not the player they need.
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