The Milwaukee Brewers have just finished off the first World Series title in franchise history, which means the rest of baseball can officially start looking ahead to next season. For the Cleveland Guardians, the early outlook is encouraging. Cleveland is coming off a third straight AL Central title and a trip to the American League Championship Series, and national analysts expect the Guardians to stay in the mix in 2027. ESPN released its first set of power rankings for next season, placing Cleveland at No. 8, two spots higher than where the Guardians finished the 2026 rankings.
ESPN noted that on paper, this team might look a lot like the others Cleveland has fielded this decade, “strong in pitching, lacking in offense.”
“On paper, the Guardians might look a lot like every other Guardians team this decade: strong in pitching, lacking in offense. Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana, coming off good rookie seasons, should get better. Jo Adell will be here for the entire season to provide some additional power. Jose Ramirez will be 34 years old, so a turnaround isn’t a sure thing, but it’s clear the wrist injury affected his power in the second half,” ESPN wrote.
ESPN went on to list several reasons the offense could take a step forward. It pointed out that Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana are coming off strong rookie seasons and should continue to improve, and that Jo Adell will be around for a full season to give the lineup more power. ESPN also noted that José Ramírez will be 34 next season, so a bounce back is not guaranteed, but said it was clear his injury sapped his power in the second half.
The pitching is the main reason for optimism. Cleveland was the only team in baseball this season with four starters to make at least 30 starts. Tanner Bibee made all 33 of his, Gavin Williams and Parker Messick made 32 apiece, and Joey Cantillo made 30. That durability carried the Guardians through a long season, and Williams and Messick turned into one of the best duos in the American League. Williams led the AL with 248 strikeouts, while Messick made the All-Star team as a rookie.
The offense remains the bigger question. Cleveland finished 24th in the majors in runs, 26th in OPS and 27th in home runs, and the lineup went quiet at the end of the ALCS against Tampa Bay. DeLauter gives the Guardians a strong place to start after leading the team with a 131 OPS+ and setting a franchise record for hits by a rookie in a single postseason. Bazzana, who made the All-Star team, finished his rookie year with a .978 OPS in September. Ramírez also showed flashes of his old self in October, homering in back-to-back elimination games against the White Sox.
There are holes to fill. Foster Griffin, Nathaniel Lowe and Austin Hedges are Cleveland’s key free agents, and all three played important roles during the postseason run. The offseason could also be complicated by the collective bargaining agreement, which expires on Dec. 1.
The Brewers sit at No. 1 after their title run, but the Guardians are firmly in the top tier. If the young hitters keep developing and the pitching stays this strong, Cleveland has a real chance to make another October run next fall.
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