The Cleveland Guardians enter the offseason with plenty of areas to improve, even after making it all the way to the American League Championship Series. They want to take the next step, but they know that, in order to be able to compete with the best, their roster needs some upgrades.
These two players could fill immediate needs, both positional and fit-wise. Coincidentally, both play for the same team.
Zach Neto
Assuming the Guardians keep Steven Kwan, which might not be the case but we are willing to give him a spot in next year’s hypothetical outfield, they will still need to improve the offense. Patrick Bailey is firmly entrenched as the starting catcher and Austin Hedges has a good chance of returning; Ralphy Velazquez could be next year’s everyday first baseman, and second and third base are covered with Travis Bazzana and Jose Ramirez, respectively.
Kwan, Chase DeLauter, and Angel Martinez are in pole position to start in the three outfield spots, leaving DH and shortstop as the potential avenues to improve. Brayan Rocchio has been a fine player who improved his offensive outlook considerably in 2026, but Zach Neto is a superior hitter and could be a target.
The 25-year-old is young, good, and controllable, so he won’t be easy to acquire. Maybe Rocchio himself can be part of the deal, or perhaps he can stay to rotate between shortstop and second, with Travis Bazzana getting some DH starts.
Neto is a solid defender, but his power-speed combo is his calling card. God knows the Guardians need some over-the-fence pop, and the Angels infielder hit 27 home runs with a 116 wRC+ this year.
Neto has 76 homers and 80 stolen bases in the last three seasons, giving Cleveland an exciting two-way guy at a key position. His potential acquisition would require giving up premium prospects, but it’ll probably be worth it for the offense-starved Guardians.
Reid Detmers
The Guardians have Gavin Williams and Parker Messick leading their rotation, but we saw in the 2026 postseason that it’s not enough. A guy like Reid Detmers, however, could give them a three-headed monster in October.
The 27-year-old has two more years of team control and had an amazing season in 2026. He posted a brilliant 3.36 ERA in 185 innings, striking out 211 hitters while walking just 48. Experts say that the BB/K ratio is the best way to determine how dominant a hurler is, and Detmers excels in that department.
Much like Neto, however, he would be very difficult to acquire. The Angels have a couple of quality young pieces and many potential buyers, putting them in a position of leverage.
It’s time for the Guardians, who continually fall short of the ultimate goal, to put together the most attractive package to lure a young star to Cleveland. Detmers could be that guy.
In both cases, the Angels will probably ask for the top guys in Cleveland’s farm, including Velazquez, catcher/outfielder Cooper Ingle, pitcher Braylon Doughty, and outfielders Juneiker Caceres and Jaison Chourio. Cheap, controllable guys like Rocchio, who put up a 3.6 fWAR and is still 25, could also be dealt.
The Guardians would probably love to keep Rocchio, who broke out this year, but there’s a chance he already hit his ceiling offensively and currently has a lot of trade value. To get impactful players in return, you have to be willing to trade away some talent, too.
NEXT: Insider Pinpoints What Really Sank The Guardians In ALCS
