The Cleveland Guardians shouldn’t have made the playoffs last season. It was a statistical anomaly.
They had one of the worst offenses in baseball, and though they thrived in close games, were better in the second half, and had solid pitching, that output wasn’t sustainable. It wasn’t a winning formula, and it came back to haunt them in the postseason.
That’s why their point of emphasis should be easy to determine, and details have emerged about the Guardians’ “biggest question” this offseason.
“How will they improve their offense?” MLB.com wrote. “This is the Guardians’ biggest question this offseason. Even with another stellar campaign by perennial MVP candidate Jose Ramirez, Cleveland ranked 28th in MLB in runs per game (3.97) in 2025, ahead of only the [Colorado] Rockies and [Pittsburgh] Pirates. Young players taking a step forward would help improve the production next season, but whether it’s through trade or free agency, the Guardians should still augment the group with external acquisitions.”
The Guardians desperately need to find some firepower. Ramirez has already put the front office on notice, stating that they didn’t honor their end of the deal when he agreed to take a hometown discount so they would be able to spend money to surround him with more talent.
This team is never going to compete with the big markets for star players. However, that doesn’t mean that it can’t do what needs to be done to improve.
Manager Stephen Vogt has proven to be the right guy for the job. He has already won back-to-back AL Central titles and Manager of the Year honors.
That’s to say that it’s only right that the organization gives him the players he needs to get the team to the next level. The Guardians are close, and they might only need a couple of tweaks to get to the World Series.
NEXT: Stat Shows How Consistent Guardians Have Been Since 1998
