There are many ways to build a championship-caliber team in MLB.
Many owners and general managers who have the resources opt to spend a lot in free agency.
Think of the New York Yankees, the 2022-23 New York Mets or the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Others love to make traded to get what they want, such as the Seattle Mariners or the San Diego Padres.
Most executives would love to be the Cleveland Guardians, though: they rarely make big splashes in free agency, yet they remain competitive every year because they are smart.
They know how to spot and develop talent and that is crucial.
As a result, the Guardians achieved the second-best record in the American League while just bringing in three cheap free agents in the offseason and through the season.
Guardians insider Jensen Lewis thinks they are the envy of the league.
“The Guardians only have THREE players acquired through free agency on the roster (Hedges, Boyd, Lively). “It’s hard to understate how homegrown & how young… There are a lot of organizations that really envy what CLE is able to do,” BIG PLAY Cleveland Show posted with Lewis’s quotes.
The Guardians only have THREE players acquired through free agency on the roster (Hedges, Boyd, Lively)
"It's hard to understate how homegrown & how young… There are a lot of organizations that really envy what CLE is able to do."
presented by @NEFDirect 🛋 pic.twitter.com/M8vizevmGN
— BIGPLAY Cleveland Show (@BIGPLAYCLEshow) September 30, 2024
Why did the Guardians need so little from free agency?
Well, because they prioritized their own talent, believed in it, and developed it.
They are among the league’s best in those three departments.
That’s how Josh Naylor became a true middle-of-the-order threat.
That’s how Kyle Manzardo is now a solid contributors.
That’s how they built a historically good bullpen, all from within.
They know what the MLB club needs and develop those traits in the minors.
What the Guardians have been able to achieve is nothing short of amazing.
NEXT: Jose Ramirez Takes One Last Award Before The Start Of The Playoffs
