Cleveland’s lineup has been searching for thump all season, and one national writer believes the front office already knows where to find it. The Guardians rank near the bottom of the league in slugging percentage, a problem that has only grown more glaring with Jose Ramirez sidelined following surgery to repair a fractured hook of the hamate bone in his left hand. The need for an established power bat has become impossible to ignore. Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer believes the answer is sitting with the Angels.
Rymer laid out the case for a trade with the Angels in his latest trade deadline predictions piece.
“It must be a year ending in a number, because the Guardians are short on power. They rank 29th in slugging percentage. For a contender in that position, trading for Soler is one of the oldest tricks in the book at this point. Soler is in the last year of a three-year, $42 million contract, and what value he has is diminished by way of a 94 OPS+ since the start of last season. He therefore fits another Guardians prerequisite as a guy who can be had without sacrificing anything of note from the farm system,” Rymer wrote.
Jorge Soler is no stranger to the trade deadline spotlight. The slugger was dealt at both the 2021 and 2024 deadlines, and he carries a postseason pedigree that few rental bats can match. He won World Series MVP honors with Atlanta in 2021, a credential that speaks directly to the kind of difference-making bat the Guardians hope he could still be in October. At 34 years old, Soler is not the same hitter he was during that championship run, but his track record of producing when the stakes rise is exactly what makes him an appealing target for a club trying to find offense without depleting its farm system.
Soler is hitting .220 with 11 home runs and a 103 OPS+, solid but unspectacular production for a player long known for his power. Still, the price tag matters as much as the production here. With the Angels buried in last place in the AL West, Soler’s expiring contract and limited remaining value mean Cleveland would not need to part with a notable prospect to acquire him. That fits the operating mode the front office has used for years, finding affordable upgrades rather than overpaying for star power.
Cleveland has already shown a willingness to address its lineup limitations this season, having previously brought in Rhys Hoskins to help at first base and designated hitter. Soler would represent a similar low-risk swing, an addition who could provide a jolt of right-handed power without costing the organization anything significant down the line. With Ramirez still weeks away and the offense searching for answers, a move like this could give the Guardians the kind of insurance they need heading into the stretch run.
NEXT: Guardians Rookie Had A Career Series In Chicago
