The trade deadline in MLB is around the corner. Teams will have until Monday at 6 pm ET to complete their deals: some of them are looking to sell, but the majority of the league, including the Cleveland Guardians, are looking to add win-now talent.
The 56-54 Guardians are two games behind the Chicago White Sox in the fight for the AL Central title, so they need to improve their roster to keep up and have a solid chance to secure their third straight divisional crown. The offense, in particular, is an area in which Cleveland can certainly bring in some upgrades.
The Guardians are, as of Friday morning, 25th among the 30 MLB teams in wRC+, with a well below-average 93 mark. They are also 29th in runs scored (432), 27th in home runs (106), and 28th in batting average, with a .230 mark.
Evidently, the unit is struggling to get anything going, and it needs help from outside. Yes, having Jose Ramirez and Angel Martinez back definitely helps, but Cleveland needs one or two truly impactful hitters, preferably right-handers with power.
According to reporter Andre Knott, who covers the team for ESPN Cleveland, the team is going to do something. Fans are afraid that the deadline will pass and the front office will be extremely passive once again, but Knott, a well-connected reporter, says there will be movement.
“I was told by a source, who will not be revealed, that they’re going to do something. I was told that we’re gonna have a hitter. I was told they’re gonna do everything they can to get a hitter. There’s been some frustration,” Knott said.
"I was told by a source, who will not be revealed, that they're going to do something," – @DreKnott on the Guardians at the trade deadline 👀 pic.twitter.com/hY1iWC8xp8
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 31, 2026
As Knott says, there’s been some frustration after watching the offense this year. The unit looked like it was in for a much better year earlier in the season, but injuries mounted, some players struggled, and the group is, once again, a liability.
The Guardians have a magnificent pitching staff, one of the best in baseball, but they won’t go anywhere with their current lineup. It’s time to leverage one of MLB’s best farm systems into one or two true contributors for the middle of the lineup.
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