Foster Griffin’s breakout season has made him one of the more intriguing pitchers on the free agent market, and the Cleveland Guardians may not be the only team interested in bringing him back. The left-hander became a key piece of Cleveland’s postseason run after arriving at the trade deadline, and now other clubs are starting to take notice. MLB.com’s Will Leitch recently identified five starting pitchers the St. Louis Cardinals could target in free agency this winter, and Griffin made the list. Leitch pointed out that Griffin offers a strong combination of reliability and value, describing him as a pitcher “with a higher floor but with a lower ceiling.”
“It was just a one-year deal, though, so the Nationals traded him to the Guardians for four prospects. Griffin struggled after the trade (5.19 ERA in nine starts) but proved helpful in the team’s postseason run. That has a lot of value, though, and Griffin would love to prove he can be durable two seasons in a row,” Leitch wrote.
Griffin’s 2026 season was one of the better comeback stories in baseball. After a brief stint in the majors early in his career, he spent three seasons pitching in Japan before returning to the United States on a one-year, $5.5 million deal with the Washington Nationals. He made the most of it, posting a 3.06 ERA over 22 starts and earning a spot on the National League All-Star team. Because he was on a one-year contract, Washington traded him to Cleveland at the deadline in exchange for four prospects.
His regular season numbers in Cleveland were not as strong, as he posted a 5.19 ERA over nine starts after the trade. But Leitch noted that Griffin proved to be a big help during the Guardians’ postseason run, and that might be an understatement. In Game 3 of the division series, with Cleveland facing elimination against the White Sox, Griffin struck out seven batters in relief to set a franchise postseason record for a reliever. He then started Game 1 of the ALCS against the Rays and added another strong outing in Game 4. In all, he struck out fifteen batters in 10 1/3 postseason innings.
The Guardians, however, would like to keep him around. Chris Antonetti said this week that Griffin made a massive impact on the team both on the field and in the clubhouse, and that Cleveland will stay engaged with him over the coming weeks.
Whether he returns to Cleveland or lands somewhere like St. Louis, he has certainly earned plenty of attention this winter.
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