The Cleveland Guardians have work to do this offseason after falling just short of reaching the World Series this season, and the front office’s first order of business has already been taken care of.
Backup catcher Austin Hedges was the only position player on the roster heading into free agency, but any questions about his future in Cleveland have already reportedly been answered.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan shared on X that the Guardians are in agreement with Hedges on a one-year contract to return to Cleveland and continue backing up Bo Naylor behind the plate.
Catcher Austin Hedges and the Cleveland Guardians are in agreement on a one-year contract, sources tell ESPN. He’ll return to the Guardians as a backup for Bo Naylor.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 6, 2024
Hedges has never been a threat offensively, but he is an ideal backup catcher to have considering how good he is with the glove and how well he works with the pitching staff.
Terms of the deal are unknown at this point, but it’s unlikely he earned any sort of money that will impede the team from making bigger moves going forward, and now Naylor gets to continue working with one of the best defensive catchers in the league.
The Guardians now have their entire 2024 lineup locked in to run it back next year, but it makes you wonder what the team might look to do in the trade market.
Cleveland’s offense sputtered in the second half of the season and was a big reason why the team fell short in the playoffs, so going out and acquiring a big bat is still something many fans would love to see.
The starting rotation is the only area of the team set to have any holes to fill in free agency with Shane Bieber, Alex Cobb, and Carlos Carrasco hitting the open market.
NEXT: Guardians Elite Reliever Discusses Bullpen Mentality In 2024
