Given how close the Cleveland Guardians have been to getting to the World Series over the last three years, the pressure is on the front office to be aggressive and go find those last few missing pieces to push this team over the hump. It’s no longer acceptable to try to get by with the league’s lowest payroll when the team is this close to finally ending the league’s longest active championship drought.
This is a team led by an impressive core of young talent and a strong pitching staff, but there are certainly a few holes that need to be filled. One is in the starting rotation with Foster Griffin hitting free agency, which is why one insider believes another high-upside young starter could fit the bill.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently wrote an article highlighting each team’s perfect move in free agency. For the Guardians, he likes the idea of them signing starter Casey Mize.
“What the Guardians really could use is one more solid starting pitcher, preferably on a shorter-term deal, with real upside. And the ideal candidate is right there for them. Sign right-handed starter Casey Mize,” Passan wrote.
Mize was having a great 2026 season until he got traded to the San Diego Padres at the deadline. He had a 2.70 ERA in 16 starts for the Detroit Tigers and a 7.46 ERA with the Padres after the deal.
At just 29 years old, he’ll still have a solid market even though he imploded down the stretch. He had been a consistent starter for five years prior to that ten-start stretch to close out 2026, so it likely won’t hurt him much when he is at the negotiating table.
Sadly, he might even cost too much for the Guardians. This is not a team that has shown that they are serious about spending money and even if Mize costs somewhere in the neighborhood of three years and $50 million, that might be too rich for this team’s blood.
On the other hand, it would be a strong show of good faith if the Guardians made a big move like this. It would send a signal to the locker room and the fans that they are serious about getting over the hump, and that’s something that is very much needed right now.
NEXT: Guardians’ Frugal Ways Could Face A Big Test
