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With the Twins looking to return to being competitive in the AL Central, we wanted to take a look around at the other teams in the division and what moves they made this offseason. This is a look at what to expect from the Cleveland Guardians this season. 

The Guardians enter 2026 as the defending AL Central champions. After off-season changes, will they repeat and claim their fourth division title in five years?

The big news out of Cleveland this offseason is the extension that third baseman Jose Ramirez signed, keeping him in Cleveland through 2032, which will be his age-39 season. As the face of the franchise, Ramirez sets the pace—when he thrives, so does the club.

To understand how Cleveland looks coming into 2026, let’s take a look at the additions and subtractions from this offseason.

Subtractions

Additions

Hoskins, on a minor league deal, is expected to add power at first base and designated hitter. He will look to get back to being an above average hitter who has 30-home run potential. Armstrong, after a strong season in 2025 with the Texas Rangers, will likely take on higher-leverage innings with the departures of key relievers from the Guardians 2025 team. Holderman is a potential bullpen project for Cleveland, a team known for reviving and getting the most out of relievers.

On the subtraction side, both reliever Sam Hentges and John Means have joined other teams (the Giants and Royals, respectively) following injury issues in recent years. Jakob Junis, after a solid 2025 season, may be a notable loss from the pitching staff, after signing with the Texas Rangers. McKenzie, limited to 24 games over three seasons since his 2022 breakout, has also signed elsewhere and will look to revive his career in San Diego.

The Guardians are a team that always seems to linger in the division race. While their roster may not appear very intimidating at first glance, they maintain competitiveness more often than not. One thing the AL Central has learned over the past few years is to never count the Guardians out, even when everything says to do so.

Injuries

Andrew Walters, recovering from lat surgery, should return in May and may join the bullpen if healthy.

Ben Lively, who pitched well in 2024 and early 2025, will miss 2026 after Tommy John surgery, and will look to return in 2027.

Though some may see the Guardians as a team in transition, let’s take a look at the current key players as well as who may be contributing at the major league level soon in their top prospects.

Key Players

Other notable players include Gabriel Arias (SS), Kyle Manzardo (1B/DH), and pitchers Tanner Bibee, Joey Cantillo, and Kolby Allard.

Top Prospects
2B Travis Bazzana
OF Chase DeLauter
SS Angel Genao
1B/OF Ralphy Velazquez
LHP Parker Messick

Ramirez remains the cog in their lineup, with Williams, Kwan, Schneemann, and Naylor among the main contributors. Arias, Manzardo, Bibee, Cantillo, and Allard are also expected to play important roles in looking to help keep the Guardians competitive in the Central. 

Bazzana, ranked MLB’s No. 20 prospect, nears his debut after representing Australia in the WBC. DeLauter (No. 46 prospect) may break camp with the team and could see regular left-field time. Genao (No. 66) and Messick (No. 95) may debut this year; Velazquez (No. 89) is a 2027 candidate.

Key Questions for Cleveland in 2026
1. Who is playing Center Field?
For the outfield, manager Stephen Vogt has indicated that all outfielders may rotate between positions. Most likely, Steven Kwan shifts from left to center field, which opens the door for young bats to gain major league experience. DeLauter presents another option in center field if they prefer to keep Kwan in left field.

2. What will the rotation look like?
Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee are expected to anchor the first two rotation spots, leaving three open for competition. The performance of those filling these roles will serve as a key indicator of the Guardians’ overall success. Young pitching has been a constant for the Guardians for many years. It would not be surprising to see the next wave—Slade Cecconi, Logan Allen, Joey Cantillo, and Parker Messick—emerge as average or better major league starters.

3. Will the Guardians be able to rely on Travis Bazzana?
Bazzana missed time last year due to an oblique strain, playing in just 84 games, mostly at Double-A and Triple-A. If healthy, he could quickly join the major league roster, possibly by Opening Day. He’s an electric player and will look to be a key piece along with Kwan and Ramirez for the foreseeable future.

Here’s a look at the projected lineup, rotation, and how the Guardians project over a full season. 

Projected Lineup
Steven Kwan – CF
George Valera – RF
Jose Ramirez – 3B
Kyle Manzardo – 1B
Rhys Hoskins – DH
Chase DeLauter – LF
Bo Naylor – C
Gabriel Arias – SS
Brayan Rocchio – 2B

Projected Rotation
Gavin Williams – RHP
Tanner Bibee – RHP
Logan Allen – LHP
Slade Cecconi – RHP
Joey Cantillo – LHP

Projected Record
PECOTA: 4th place, 76-86
Fangraphs: 4th place, 76-86

While the Guardians may be projected to finish behind all AL Central teams other than the White Sox, this is not uncommon territory for Cleveland, which has outperformed its projections in recent years. The Guardians were 10.5 games out of first place on Sept 1 this past season and played very well down the stretch, going 20-6 the rest of the way to win the AL Central. The Guardians have proven to be pesky and never out of it, so don’t be surprised if they perform better than many think they will in 2026. 

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