At 36-28, the Cleveland Guardians have been one of the best teams in the American League. The goal, however, is even higher than just being good in the regular season.
The Guardians want to win their first World Series title since 1948, and to do that, they need to field the best roster they possibly can. That could mean bringing in relevant, timely, and impactful acquisitions before the trade deadline.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote an early deadline preview for all 30 teams, and when it was time to discuss the Guardians, he praised them for having built a team in which “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
When naming a player who would make sense for the Guardians to pursue, Colorado Rockies’ outfielder Mickey Moniak was his choice. It could be a good fit for several reasons.
The infield is crowded, and the picture will get even messier with Gabriel Arias’ pending return. The outfield, on the other hand, could be an area to improve.
“Rookies Travis Bazzana and Chase DeLauter are the real deal, and adding a bat like Moniak would be perfect for the Guardians: His contract won’t cost much in salary ($4 million) or prospects, he can spell Steven Kwan in center field and even if he was doing most of his damage at Coors Field before he was injured, the 28-year-old would add to the Guardians’ slug that ranks 27th in MLB,” Passan said.
Of course, the Guardians could use at least one starter and a top reliever, too, but adding a guy with a 145 wRC+ and 12 home runs to this point would be incredibly helpful for their offense, even if that guy has played half his games at Coors Field this year.
Moniak is a former No. 1 draft pick and can be considered a late-bloomer. He truly broke out in 2025 after leaving the Los Angeles Angels and joining the thin air of Colorado. There, he hit 24 home runs with a 110 wRC+ last year, in just 135 games.
This year, he has taken things to another level with a .280/.335/.607 line. He has been on the injured list since May 22 with a right ankle sprain, but should return to action at some point this month.
The Guardians have the farm system depth and quality to make a deal happen. Will they have the willingness to part with some young talent and add salary to their payroll, though? If they want to secure their ticket to the postseason and aspire to greater things, adding Moniak would be a move in the right direction.
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