With the uncertainty around baseball, teams are making some moves ahead of the certain lockout (not strike) that will take place on December 2nd.
Guardians’ team president Chris Antonetti has said the team will up the payroll this off-season, and that’s a good thing. No matter how the Collective Bargaining Agreement goes, there is no reason whatsoever that Cleveland can’t be around other mid to small market franchises in spending cash.
But where? Antonetti indicated the emphasis would be on pitching and in general, we can’t complain about that. As Terry Francona says, when you think you have enough pitching, you go out and get some more.
Steven Vogt and the front office didn’t really trust anyone besides Gavin Williams and Parker Messick in the post-season. Tanner Bibee led the club in starts but faced just three batters in the playoffs. Foster Griffin was probably the third more trusted hurler out of the starters, but he’s a free agent.
Joey Cantillo didn’t make a start, pitched five innings, walked six batters in his playoff appearances. So, it is understandable that Antonetti would like to add some depth, especially since one of his two “aces”, Messick, doesn’t have a track record and threw a lot of innings in 2026.
Of course, we felt Cleveland should’ve looked for pitching depth last winter, and they were very fortunate some of the primary starters missed any significant time a year ago.
We think they also are playing with fire not helping the offense. While many point to the offensive output after the trade deadline last year, and it was better, the Guardians were still just 24th in runs scored, and even after August 1st, while they scored more runs, the attack was very inconsistent, as we all saw in the last five games of the AL Championship Series.
We always say a good offense needs seven good hitters, six at a minimum. Right now, the Guardians have three in Jose Ramirez, Steven Kwan, and Chase DeLauter. We like Travis Bazzana and Brayan Rocchio can be solid hitters.
That means they could use one or two solid bats. Jo Adell is a platoon player, he struggles mightily against righties, so he isn’t one. Perhaps Ralphy Velazquez can be another, but since he’s never had a big league at bat, he doesn’t count.
There is an opening for an outfielder, either in left, with Steven Kwan in center, or vice-versa. And hopefully it’s a right-handed hitter.
Some young hitters have shown potential but need to grow. Angel Martinez is streaky because he goes through periods where he swings at anything moving near home plate. Can Kyle Manzardo return to form? Maybe, but it feels like the organization has soured on him. He seemed to be a much more patient hitter when he came up.
We like Angel Genao’s potential and maybe he fits in at the keystone with Bazzana getting at bats at the DH spot. And don’t forget Cooper Ingle, another player that we don’t know how the front office feels about, and of course, he’s another who swings from the left side.
The Guardians have won the AL Central three straight years and been to the ALCS in two of those seasons. If there is ever a time to take a shot, it’s now.
And as always, this should be the mantra for all front office meetings: “1948”.
