Activity across baseball has really started to pick up since MLB’s Winter Meetings came to an end. There have been three-team deals, trades centered around former All-Stars, and the calendar hasn’t even flipped to the New Year yet.
Looking at the Cleveland Guardians’ current offseason moves, they’ve successfully rebuilt the bullpen and achieved the goal they set earlier this winter, but the lineup remains a massive question mark.
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The Guardians must add at least one bat to the roster, even if it’s simply a depth piece. The good news is that it’s not too late; there are still options on the open market and possibly through trade that would make sense for the Guardians.
Several right-handed-hitting free agents would make sense for Cleveland. Some of the players include:
Jun 27, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view a Cleveland Guardians hat and glove on the dugout railing before a game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images
Each of these players is a right-handed-hitting free agents who have a history of success against left-handed pitching.
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Right now, the Guardians only have four true righties on their 40-man roster, and were one of the worst teams hitting against southpaws a year ago. Adding any of them will help Cleveland fill a massive void.
Plus, the Guardians have their pick on whether they want to add just a platoon bat from this group or an everyday player. Marte, Refsnyder, and Grichuk make sense for only hitting off lefties, but Hays and Bader have a case to be in the lineup just about every day.
Again, Cleveland has options.
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When the Guardians have added a big bat to their lineup, historically, it’s come through trade, and there are still some intriguing trade candidates that could be on the move this winter that would make sense in Cleveland.
There have already been reports this offseason that the Guardians have expressed an interest in St. Louis Cardinals utilityman Brendan Donovan.
A reunion with Yandy Diaz could supply pop from the right side of the plate. The Boston Red Sox have a surplus of outfielders, making Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu an intriguing target for Cleveland.