The Cleveland Guardians are not receiving glowing reviews for their offseason work.
In a recent breakdown of final offseason grades for all 30 teams, ESPN handed Cleveland a D+, one of the more critical evaluations in baseball. The reasoning centered on a lack of major additions and lingering questions about whether the organization did enough to improve a lineup that struggled mightily in 2025.
“How do you grade this offseason? Cleveland hasn’t added one major league hitter despite hitting .226 and scoring the fewest runs in the AL last season. Even for a team that you don’t expect to spend any money, that’s inexcusable (we’re blaming the owner here, not the front office). The only thing rescuing this offseason is the contract extension to Jose Ramirez, which the Guardians billed as a seven-year extension. That’s misleading, as he was already signed through 2028, so it’s really just an additional four years — with thanks to Ramirez again taking a hometown discount,” David Schoenfield wrote.
According to the analysis, the Guardians’ key addition was right-handed pitcher Shawn Armstrong. On the other side, the team saw the departures of Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz.
The biggest criticism focused on Cleveland’s offense. The Guardians hit just .226 as a team last season and scored the fewest runs in the American League. Despite those glaring issues, ESPN pointed out that Cleveland did not add a single major league hitter during the offseason. For a team already operating with limited financial flexibility, the expectation was that some kind of creative solution would emerge to address the lineup. Instead, the roster looks largely similar heading into 2026.
One move that did receive acknowledgment was the contract extension for Jose Ramirez. The third baseman remains the face of the franchise and one of the most productive players in the league. However, the report noted that the extension functions more as an addition of years beyond an existing deal rather than a transformative offseason splash. While keeping Ramirez in Cleveland long-term is significant, it does not directly solve the short-term offensive shortcomings that plagued the team last year.
For a franchise that last won the World Series in 1948 and came heartbreakingly close in 2016, expectations remain high. Manager Stephen Vogt has made it clear that the goal is to win a championship. However, outside observers are skeptical that the roster took meaningful steps forward this winter.
Ultimately, the D+ grade reflects doubt about whether Cleveland did enough to capitalize on its competitive window. The Guardians still have strong pitching development and a superstar in Ramirez, but questions about offensive firepower will follow them into spring training.
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