The Cleveland Guardians have now won a couple of games in a row after beating the Miami Marlins 3-2 on Friday to keep pace with the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central. The division is suddenly tighter than ever with the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers getting hot over the past few weeks, so every game is crucial for the Guardians right now.
Cleveland’s offense has been struggling mightily, largely due to the injuries suffered by Jose Ramirez, Angel Martinez, and Chase DeLauter, who has thankfully returned recently. It has been the main reason for the summer struggles, but one insider believes the team needs more than just a big bat at the trade deadline.
During a recent article for The Athletic, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon broke down the latest insight they have heard about MLB’s upcoming trade deadline. They believe that not only is a power-hitting first baseman something that the Guardians could be targeting, but they could also aim to bring in some starting pitching depth as well.
“As the Guardians await the returns of third baseman José Ramírez and outfielder Angel Martínez, a right-handed hitting first baseman could be on their wish list. Something else to keep in mind with the Guards: They have used only five starters, so they could look to add depth to their rotation as well as their bullpen,” Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon wrote.
Kyle Manzardo is hitting .080 in July and Rhys Hoskins has a .165 average since Opening Day. The two of them have been abysmal at one of the most important offensive positions on the diamond, and their lack of production has hurt even more of late with the lineup in such dire need of somebody to step up due to all the injuries.
Names like Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes from the Houston Astros could be available, and while it’s much less likely due to the Boston Red Sox’s recent surge, Willson Contreras is another name that has been floated on the rumor mill as well. Luiz Arraez is on an expiring contract on a floundering San Francisco Giants team, so while he wouldn’t bring any power, he is one of the best hitters in baseball and would undoubtedly be an upgrade from the status quo.
Garrett Mitchell and Mickey Moniak were two other names recently discussed by Adam Gerstenhaber of The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show. They’d also be fun additions to a banged up outfield, though it’s also disappointing that other in-house options like Steven Kwan, CJ Kayfus, and George Valera couldn’t step up this season.
It’s going to be an interesting deadline. The Guardians have to be aggressive this year, because the American League is a mess and the path to a World Series may never be clearer.
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