The Cleveland Guardians defied the odds in 2025.

From coming back down from a 15.5-game deficit for first place in the AL Central, to appearing in the MLB Postseason, the Guardians grinded through a tough season to make something out of nothing. The front office called up various prospects to get their first appearances in the big leagues, with some looking solid and others needing a bit more time to develop.

But through it all, the team debuted various different lineups to try and find the most efficient bats.

However, it never worked out the way they wanted it to. The Guardians finished the 2025 campaign with the second-to-worst batting average in the league at .226, in on-base percentage at .293, slugging percentage at .373 and OPS at .669.

The coaching staff will obviously have to make some changes and adjustments with hopes of bouncing back in 2026.

Projecting the starting lineup for Opening Day

The Guardians’ outfielding corps needs a revitalization in the upcoming season. That unit, outside of left fielder Steven Kwan, was incredibly inefficient, mainly with whoever was in right field.

There’s no doubt that, unless a surprise trade occurs, Kwan will be back in left field for the Guardians. He’s coming off an impressive campaign that was spotlighted by yet another Golden Glove and national fielding award, all while finishing as the second-best batter on the team with a 3.7 bWAR and a batting average of .272.

Alongside Kwan, the Guardians should look to give the keys over to a few prospects to see what they can do with a full season of development.

When it comes to the infield, there are only a few players who’ve had their spot clinched moving into the upcoming campaign, one of which is José Ramírez. He’s coming off yet another season that saw him in the running for an AL MVP honor, while also being a Silver Slugger at third base.

Since 2021, Ramírez has been in the MVP race each year, marking an impressive display of consistency and reliability. Outside of Ramírez, shortstop Brayan Rocchio and catcher Bo Naylor are the only two who have their spots locked down as of now.

1. Left Fielder- Steven Kwan

2. Right Fielder- George Valera

3. Third Baseman- José Ramírez

4. Center Fielder- Chase DeLauter

5. First Baseman- Kyle Manzardo

6. Second Baseman- Ángel Martínez

7. Catcher- Bo Naylor

8. Designated Hitter- C.J. Kayfus

9. Shortstop- Brayan Rocchio

Both Valera and DeLauter should slot into the lineup fairly easily, especially with their power and ability to mash the ball at the plate. They are both young, impressionable prospects, meaning they need to get the most amount of time with Kwan and Ramírez to develop as much as possible. Kayfus, who’s listed down as the designated hitter, could also get looks in the outfield.

Manzardo deserves the reins of first base, especially considering the 23-year-old’s power hitting. He hit 27 home runs in 2025 and also tacked on 70 RBIs in his first full season in the majors. He slotted into the designated hitter role well this past season, something he will probably also do in 2026.

The rest of the infield has some work to do.

Naylor and Rocchio, who are elite fielders, need to be more consistent at the plate. Their reliability has always been in question, but it seemed like in the back half of the season they finally turned it up a notch.

One of the main question marks in this lineup is placed on Martínez, who had an up-and-down 2025 season. He played in the infield and outfield throughout the season, but primarily spent time in center field. His best fit, though, at least with the current roster, will be at second base.

If he can adjust to the big-league fielding and get a better knack for placing the ball in different areas of the field, he could lock down the spot next to Rocchio for years to come.

The lineup may shift and change if the Guardians decide to ultimately make moves in free agency, or add in a surprise trade, but they only have a few more months to get something done.

The Guardians’ first game of the 2026 season will come on Thursday, March 26, against the Seattle Mariners.