The Cleveland Guardians could use some more help and power.
They won’t spend a lot of money to address any of those needs, but they could still find a serviceable veteran.
At least, that’s how Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report feels.
In his latest predictions column, he claimed that the Guardians could find themselves in the lead to sign Randal Grichuk:
“The Guardians are not going to break the bank on any outside additions, but they could bolster their outfield contingent by adding Randal Grichuk on a one-year deal. The 33-year-old posted a 140 OPS+ with 20 doubles, 12 home runs and 46 RBI in 279 plate appearances last season serving mostly as a platoon option against left-handed pitching while playing on a one-year, $2 million deal,” Reuter said.
Then again, they might not be alone in the race to get the veteran outfielder.
Multiple reports state that the Boston Red Sox are also eyeing the former Arizona Diamondbacks veteran if they fail to strike a deal with Alex Bregman.
Grichuk is clearly not in his prime, but he’s been a reliable hitter for most of his career.
He’s hit double-digit home runs in most of his campaigns in the league, and that’s an area of improvement for Stephen Vogt’s team.
If the Red Sox get Bregman and move on from their pursuit of Grichuk, he could be a good fit for the Guardians.
He’s coming off a very productive season, hitting .291 with 46 RBIs, 12 home runs, a .348 OBP, and a .875 OPS.
The Guardians aim to maintain their momentum after unexpectedly reaching the ALCS last season, and there’s no reason to believe they can’t replicate that success in 2025.
And while their starting rotation seems to be the most pressing issue they’ve addressed in the offseason, they cannot ignore the fact that their offense wasn’t particularly proficient down the stretch, either.
NEXT: New Guardians Acquisition Expected To Have Key Leadership Role
