The Cleveland Guardians shocked the world last season. Despite not having much firepower on offense and no true ace at the mound, they still managed to take the AL Central division and make the playoffs.
They’ve won divisional pennants in consecutive years, and manager Stephen Vogt has run away with Manager of the Year awards in the two years he’s been in charge of the team. That being said, it hasn’t been enough to get to the next level.
Notably, outfield production — or lack thereof — was one of the main concerns for this team last season. And, after a quiet offseason focused mostly on bolstering the bullpen, that might still be the case.
With that in mind, team insider Paul Hoynes shared his thoughts on how this team might fix the outfield.
Truth be told, it doesn’t even sound that difficult:
“It sounds like Bader wants a multiyear deal and the Guardians might be reluctant to do that with a possible work stoppage brewing when the basic agreement ends after the 2026 season. Why not keep Kwan until he’s eligible for free agency after the 2027 season, sign Bader and see how healthy DeLauter and Valera can stay?” Hoynes wrote.
Steven Kwan’s future with the team has been one of the primary talking points around the team for quite a while now. The Guardians have been either unwilling or unable to get him to sign a contract extension.
That has made him a primary trade target for several teams, up to the point where they had to turn down multiple offers for him at last season’s trade deadline. That being said, the team should be in no rush to move him, given that he’s still under club control.
Kwan is an above-average hitter and an elite defensive player. It’s hard to believe that this team will get much better by trading him away, at least in the short term.
Chase DeLauter and George Valera have both shown the potential to be superstars at the next level. They’re too gifted on offense. They now just need to prove that they can stay healthy for a full season.
As for Harrison Bader, he’s an ideal fit as a stopgap at a reasonable price.
Whether the Guardians will want to make a move, however, remains to be seen.
NEXT: Jose Ramirez Opens Up About Why He Stayed In Cleveland
