The Cleveland Guardians made a spirited run to the ALCS last season and needed just a little push this offseason to push the squad to the next level.
They haven’t made the big moves many fans wanted over the first few months of the offseason, but one analyst believes they have done a solid job and graded them accordingly, giving strong praise for one salary-saving move.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic graded each team’s offseason so far.
He gave the Guardians a “B” and mentioned his affinity for the Andres Giménez trade.
“They saved significant money by trading Giménez to the Blue Jays, giving them much-needed payroll flexibility going forward. Travis Bazzana, the top pick in last year’s draft, should be ready to take over second base full-time by season’s end,” Bowden said.
Since being drafted, Bazzana has looked like he is ready for the big leagues and will not be in the minors much longer.
Even though Giménez remains a defensive wizard, his bat has been trending down after he posted just a .638 OPS last season.
Cleveland’s other notable moves include re-signing Shane Bieber to a two-year deal and trading first baseman Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks while replacing him by bringing back a familiar face in Carlos Santana on a one-year deal.
Cleveland’s offense needed a boost, and Santana could be an upgrade over Naylor, but this team now has a Bazzana-sized hole in the lineup that is seemingly just waiting for him to fill.
NEXT: Analyst Believes Guardians Made Best Trade Of The Offseason
