The Cleveland Guardians have re-signed one of their key veterans.
They opened the offseason by signing backup catcher Austin Hedges to his third consecutive one-year contract.
He’s going to make $4 million, and his deal could go up to $4.5 million based on incentives.
However, as big a presence as he is in the clubhouse, he’s never been much help at the plate, which Hedges recently acknowledged is a concern for the team as a whole.
“We gotta get better offensively. What we did in September, coming back to win that division, we showed what we could do offensively. Offensively, there’s a lot of young guys in that room that are starting to understand what it means to have a big-league plan and what it means to prepare for 162 games and in October. I love the group coming back. I think we’re right in position to go win the division again,” Hedges said.
"We gotta get better offensively"#Guardians Austin Hedges was asked if Cleveland needs help offensively. He feels that the focus starts with the current team
"I love the group coming back… I think we're right in position to go win the division again" #GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/RICi9GKzZ4
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) October 15, 2025
Hedges hit .161 in 155 at-bats this season, and he’s not going to get better at this point in his career.
He is one of the best game-callers and defensive catchers in the game, but he’s a notable liability with his bat.
With that in mind, some fans have complained about the fact that the Guardians chose to bring him back.
The front office, usually known for its frugal approach, can make up for Hedges’ shortcomings by spending money to bring in some other help for the lineup, ideally a right-handed slugger or a switch-hitter.
While some rookies will have big roles and should be given as many opportunities as possible, there’s no excuse not to make some veteran signings after how things unfolded throughout the 2025 season.
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