The Cleveland Guardians offseason has, to say the least, been bleak. They’ve signed just three free agents and made just one trade this offseason, and that one trade was a deal to acquire cash considerations, not to improve the roster.

They did extend Jose Ramirez for seven years at $175 million, which is a nice deal for the Guardians, as he’s on a big discount for how great he is.  But this Ramirez extension, combined with their other moves, brings up an uncomfortable question.

Are the Guardians wasting the prime of Ramirez? Based on their offseason, that might be the case. Jim Bowden of The Athletic is urging the Guardians to add more offense amid his “D” grade for Cleveland for their poor spending this winter.

Are Guardians wasting Jose Ramirez’s prime?

“The Guardians need to add more offense, in particular a middle-of-the-order impact bat to help protect future Hall of Famer Jose Ramirez,” Bowden writes. “… Unfortunately, beyond the Ramirez deal, all the Guardians have done this offseason is add inexpensive bullpen depth.”

Bowden is hoping the Guardians add one more impact hitter, but with the offseason nearly done, there aren’t many great options for the Guardians to sign or trade for to help the middle of their lineup.

Ramirez is looking like he, once again, will be surrounded by a lot of unknowns in the lineup for 2026. While they might not be bad players, compared to an impact hitter they could sign or trade for, they aren’t likely to carry the same weight.

More: MLB Hot Stove tracker: Live updates on news, rumors, signings and trades for 2025 free agency

Kyle Manzardo, Chase DeLauter, Travis Bazzana, C.J. Kafus, Steven Kwan, Bo Naylor, and George Valera are the best offensive players for the Guardians.

While there is promise with all of these players, none of them can compare to Ramirez, or take some heat off of Ramirez as a top free agent or trade option would.

This poor offense, which earned a “D” grade from Bowden for the worst in the league, is raising the fear that the Guardians are wasting the prime of Ramirez.

He’s 33 years old, and there’s no telling how long he’ll continue to be a perennial MVP candidate. The Guardians might be wasting his prime with their poor spending, and this offseason might be the greatest example of said fear.

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