The Cleveland Guardians have had a successful off-season so far.
Yes, they lost two members of their 2024 rotation in Matthew Boyd and Alex Cobb, and also two regulars on the infield in Andrés Giménez and Josh Naylor.
However, they were able to add to their rotation with the return of Shane Bieber and the acquisitions of Luis L. Ortiz and Slade Cecconi via trade; they signed Carlos Santana to replace Naylor and have plenty of options to compete for that open second base gig.
Perhaps the most important takeaway is that they moved Giménez’s large contract off the books and will now have added flexibility when plenty of options still populate the free agent market.
According to Brooks Gate, Cleveland’s payroll is currently the sixth-lowest in MLB at just over $97 million.
MLB payrolls at the end of last season and currently pic.twitter.com/YPX0cDSCpX
— BrooksGate (@Brooks_Gate) January 12, 2025
Considering where it ended last year, at just under $144 million, it is about $46 million lower.
That would seem to suggest that if Cleveland sets its sights on a specific player or two in the market, they should be able to spend enough to bring him or them, depending on the case.
They seem determined to have that open competition for second base, but they could potentially sign a top outfielder or another solid pitcher for the rotation.
At this point, many of the available free agents will likely see their prices drop as we get closer to spring training.
Perhaps the Guardians can identify one of them who represents a true, tangible upgrade and make that investment.
They should have more financial flexibility to bring in talent from free agency, absorb a high-priced contributor via trade, or even extend some of their stars.
The Guards, and specifically president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti, deserve credit for creating so much financial maneuvering room while also improving the team.
Now, however, is the time to take advantage of that flexibility.
NEXT: Analyst Believes Guardians Have A Sneaky Good Option To Start At Second
