The Cleveland Guardians knocked on the door of another World Series berth and an American League pennant.
That means it’s difficult to think of many ways to get the team over the top.
Even so, all good teams can get better.
With that in mind, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report gave his honest thoughts on the team’s offseason, and he gave the front office a “B” grade for the time being:
“Even a 38-year-old Santana could be an upgrade over Naylor, particularly if he plays more Gold Glove-caliber defense. One otherwise appreciates the buy-low signings of Bieber, who’s recovering from Tommy John surgery, and Sewald, who’s coming off a down year. Also, keep an eye on Ortiz. He finished last year with a 3.35 ERA in his last 14 starts for the Pirates, and he only turns 27 today,” Rymer said.
With the additions of RHPs Paul Sewald, Luis L. Ortiz, Slade Cecconi, and 1B Carlos Santana, the team is looking ahead to another productive season.
Even so, it’s also worth noting that they lost 1B Josh Naylor, RHPs Nick Sandlin and Eli Morgan, and 2B Andrés Giménez.
Still, with Giménez struggling offensively, the team will most likely get a bit of an offensive spark, while Santana is still one of the best players in his position, even at his age.
Sewald has some injury concerns and isn’t coming off his best season, but he’s still a proven veteran on a team-friendly deal.
The Guardians surprised plenty of people last season en route to a deep postseason run, and while the New York Yankees’ high-octane offense proved to be much to be contained, the bullpen should only be better this time around.
Not all teams can or will spend like the Los Angeles Dodgers.
But even with some minor yet impactful offseason moves, the Guardians might be closer to a World Series pennant than they were at this point last year.
NEXT: Insider Reveals What He's Hearing About Paul Sewald's Past Injuries
