Guardians’ New Hitter Is Facing An Uncertain Future

The addition of Jo Adell before the MLB trade deadline was seen as another savvy move by the Cleveland Guardians’ front office. Not only did they get the right-handed power bat they were looking for, but Adell also has one year of team control remaining, making the outfielder more than just a rental.

A recent six-RBI game against the San Francisco Giants showed what Adell is capable of. But he also has just six RBIs in his other 14 games with the Guardians.

It is still too early to make a final determination, and there is a lot of pennant-race baseball left to be played. But the Guardians would be wise to consider where Adell might fit into their plans beyond this season.

According to insider Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com, the Guardians’ new hitter is facing an uncertain future, one that could be affected by a looming labor stoppage and a potential ownership change.

“The Guardians control Adell through 2027, but there are lots of moving parts behind the scenes. They include a potential lockout following the expiration of current basic agreement in December and an ownership change, perhaps, near the end of the 2027 season,” Hoynes wrote.

Adell is playing on a one-year, $5.2 million contract he signed with the Los Angeles Angels. He would be eligible for arbitration before the 2027 season, but with the collective bargaining agreement with owners and players set to expire, it is unknown what the rules regarding that process might be.

In addition, the Guardians could be in the midst of an ownership transfer from the Dolan family to David Blitzer, who could take control after the 2027 season. That means almost anything could be on the table for the franchise over the next two years.

In the meantime, Adell will try to help the Guardians turn around their season and make the playoffs. He has a .226/.311/.472 slash line with three home runs and four doubles among his 12 hits in 61 at-bats. The 27-year-old had 16 homers with the Angels after hitting 37 last season.

Cleveland is just 6-10 since he, first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and starting pitcher Foster Griffin arrived at the deadline, so the Guardians will have to play much better than they have been to remain in the competitive AL race.