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Hey, Hoynsie: In looking at all the teams that made the playoffs, the Guardians stand out as the lone team without a significant amount of power. What do you see the Guards doing to improve that for 2026? — Roger Luca, Tallahassee, Florida.
Hey, Roger: The Guardians definitely need an injection of run production for their offense which finished the 2025 regular season ranked 28th in runs, 29th in batting average and 30th in hits among MLB’s 30 teams. The question is will the Guardians go outside the organization to find it, or count on their young hitters to supply it based on the experience they gained this year?
I’m guessing they add one hitter from the outside, but lean heavily on their homegrown roster, as that’s the way they operate.
As for power and the current postseason field, Cleveland hit 168 homers during the regular season. That’s a lot less than the Yankees, who led MLB’s 12 postseason teams with 274 homers. It’s also a bit more than the postseason editions of the Reds (167), Brewers (166) and Padres (152).
Guardians’ Chase DeLauter became the first player in franchise history to make his big-league debut in the postseason during the 2025 wild card series against Detroit.MLB Photos via Getty Images
Hey, Hoynsie: How do you think Chase DeLauter would do if the Guardians put him in center field next season, showed some patience and let him play all season? — Tony Mollica, The Plains, Ohio.
Hey, Tony: First and foremost, DeLauter has to show the Guardians that he can stay healthy for a full season. He has not done that at any level he’s played at since making his professional debut in 2023.
In three professional seasons, he’s played only 138 games with 504 at-bats, including his two starts in this year’s wild card series. I’m sure the Guardians would be more than patient with DeLauter if he can play an entire season next year in Cleveland or Triple-A Columbus.
Hey, Hoynsie: Do you think manager Stephen Vogt may hesitate to put utility man David Fry behind the plate because of the risk of him taking a foul ball off the mask after he was hit in the face by a Tarik Skubal fastball on Sept. 23? — Skip Bittman, Broadview Heights.
Hey, Skip: The Guardians will have the entire offseason and spring training to evaluate Fry’s readiness to catch, bat and play in 2026 after he was hit in the face by Skubal on a bunt attempt. There is no way they’d ask him to do anything he didn’t feel comfortable doing.
After the Guards were eliminated in the wild card series by Detroit, Fry underwent surgery for a nasal fracture and a deviated septum at Cleveland Clinic.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt.Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
Hey, Hoynsie: We know other teams will try to lure away some of Cleveland’s coaches, but what about manager Stephen Vogt? Is there another team he’d love to manage even more than the Guardians? — CDC Leach, Strongsville.
Hey, CDC: Vogt isn’t going anywhere.
He is entering the last year of his three-year contract, but the Guardians have made it clear that they want to keep him around for a long time. After taking the Guards to the AL Central title in his first two years on the job, Vogt is expected to receive a contract extension sometime this offseason.
Hey, Hoynsie: Will Travis Bazzana, the No.1 pick in the entire 2024 draft, be in the Guardians’ starting lineup on opening day in 2026? If so, what does that mean for Gabriel Arias and Brayan Rocchio? — Andy Meese, Sandusky.
Hey, Andy: I don’t think Bazzana will crack the opening day lineup in 2026, but only the Guardians know for sure. That doesn’t mean Bazzana won’t make his big league debut sometime in 2026.
This season he dealt with left and right oblique injuries. If he had stayed healthy, there’s a chance he would have made his big league debut this year. Like DeLauter, Bazzana doesn’t have a lot of professional experience — 111 games and 403 at-bats in the minors.
Really, there’s no rush with Arias and Rocchio in the middle of the infield.
Guardians prospect Juan Brito.Getty Images
Hey, Hoynsie: With Brayan Rocchio seemingly claiming the second base job for the Guardians, do you envision a spring training competition between Gabriel Arias and Juan Brito for shortstop? — Doug Folkert, Ocala, Florida.
Hey, Doug: I don’t get the impression that the Guardians view Brito as a shortstop. First, however, he has to recover from the left hamstring injury that cut his season short and required surgery.
I think he fits into their plans more as a second baseman or potentially an outfield option. Brito’s offensive potential is intriguing, and there’s a chance the Guards could be granted a fourth option on Brito, which would give them another year of control over the switch-hitter.
Hey, Hoynsie: I’m wondering why we’re not hearing more about closer Emmanuel Clase’s meltdown in the 2024 playoffs as part of MLB’s investigation into the gambling allegations against Clase and teammate Luis Ortiz? — Ken Lyman, Fairview Park.
Hey, Ken: I’ve been told that Clase’s dreadful performance against the Tigers and Yankees in the 2024 postseason isn’t involved in the current investigation, but I don’t think many stone are being left untured in this investigation. People close to the situation say Clase was tipping his pitches, especially against the Yankees, in the ALCS.
The current investigation into Clase and teammate Luis Ortiz, which began in July, is related to both pitchers influencing prop bets by the way they pitched during games.
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