Guardians Continue To Gradually Address Every Need

The Cleveland Guardians got a bit of a reset in 2022 following the name change.

The team showed up with a fresh slate and was led by a roster full of rookies.

This mean expectations weren’t too high.

Naturally, an underdog story was born and the team nearly reached the ALCS.

But in general, all of 2022 was a success for the franchise, from the front office down to the field.

In the last 10 months, the Guardians:

-extended MVP candidate, Jose
-extended gold glove Myles Straw
-extended best closer in baseball, Clase
-won the AL Central
-increased payroll by 30+%
-signed power hitting 1B, Josh Bell

Guards are all-in. They're addressing Catcher next👀

— C0RY (@c0ry024) December 6, 2022

As one fan points out, the team has continually addressed every single need with just one more remaining.

Catcher Is Next On The Agenda

The Guardians are in desperate need of a catcher who can provide some upside on offense.

Austin Hedges was a great defender and a team leader in 2022, but his .489 OPS left a lot to be desired.

Sean Murphy of the Oakland Athletics has been the top target for several teams, including the Guardians.

The problem is that he is not a free agent and Oakland has a ton of leverage in trade talks.

Yet it is still early in the offseason, so it’s possible the asking price comes down in the coming months.

What we do know is that the front office has catcher as a top focus heading into 2023.

Fans saw the group extend Jose Ramirez, get Myles Straw and Emmanuel Clase locked in on team-friendly deals, and recently sign a true power-hitting first baseman in Josh Bell.

Adding a talented catcher seems like a formality for a front office group that seems set on competing in 2023 and beyond.