The Cleveland Guardians traded second baseman Andrés Giménez and the $97.5 million left on his deal to the Toronto Blue Jays.
They received players making near the league minimum and prospects, so they got rid of a huge contract for their standards and now have more financial flexibility.
It’s important, for the sake of their chances to compete in 2025 and take advantage of their blossoming contention window, that they reinvest the money on roster improvements.
Guardians analyst Justin Lada has another idea: extending Tanner Bibee.
“The #Guardians have money to reinvest after trading Giménez, but what will they do with it? ” I think it makes more sense to reinvest the money internally. It’s imperative to keep Tanner Bibee.” -@JL_Baseball. Justin also explains why a Kwan extension is unlikely,” the Matt Fontana show’s official X account posted.
The #Guardians have money to reinvest after trading Giménez, but what will they do with it?
"I think it makes more sense to reinvest the money internally. It's imperative to keep Tanner Bibee." –@JL_Baseball
Justin also explains why a Kwan extension is unlikely. pic.twitter.com/rqhot4XSHC
— Matt Fontana Show (@MattFontanaShow) December 12, 2024
Prices on free agent starters are exorbitant at the moment.
Even Alex Cobb, who didn’t even reach 20 regular season innings with the Guardians this year, got $15 million from the Detroit Tigers.
The trade market could also be an option for Cleveland, but good pitchers are either already expensive because they are in arbitration or incredibly costly in human capital (prospects).
Extending Bibee, therefore, would be a good plan.
He is young (25), good (3.25 career ERA) and has largely avoided serious injuries.
He is as close to a perfect pitching investment as there is.
He still has four seasons of cheap control left but there is no reason the Guardians can’t come up with a six or seven-year offer that buys out all those years plus two or three of his future free agency.
Only time will tell which way the Guardians go from here.
Extending Bibee is a solid plan, though.
NEXT: Shane Bieber Explains Why He Returned To Cleveland
