The Cleveland Guardians’ best route to improving their MLB roster for the 2026 season is through a trade. That said, who should Cleveland’s front office be calling up about to pull off a deal this winter?
Here are three teams that could be perfect trade partners for the Guardians this offseason
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The Los Angeles Angels are reportedly looking for more starting pitching, and the Guardians have it. Cleveland still needs some more power in their lineup and outfield help, and the Angels have that.
There’s your blueprint for an offseason trade between these two clubs.
Obviously, Cleveland needs to improve their lineup after registering the second-worst OPS in baseball last season at .699. The Angels already traded Taylor Ward this offseason, but could the Guardians figure out a way to pry Jo Adell or even Jorge Soler away from Los Angeles this offseason?
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As for the Angels, Cleveland has multiple pitchers who could become trade candidates this winter. Logan Allen, Joey Cantillo, or even Doug Nikhazy are all under team control for the foreseeable future and could be exactly what Los Angeles is looking for.
An Angels-Guardians trade could be a win-win and make a ton of sense for both sides.
Jul 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; A general stock view of the Cleveland Guardians logo is seen during a game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
The Guardians have reportedly already expressed interest in one veteran on the St. Louis Cardinals roster this offseason: Brendan Donovan. Lars Nootbarr would also make some sense in Cleveland’s lineup. There’s even an argument that the Guardians would benefit from adding right-handed hitting veteran infielder Jose Fermin into the mix for the 2026 season.
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With the Cardinals heading into a retooling year and the Guardians focusing on winning with Jose Ramirez still in the prime of his career, a trade between these two organizations could meet the needs of both.
Plus, with Rob Cerfolio, who worked in Cleveland’s organization in a variety of roles for a decade before joining the Cardinals in 2024, he could have insight into the Guardians’ farm system that no one else in baseball has.
Fans may not want to admit it, but a trade between the reigning back-to-back World Series champions and the Guardians could make a ton of sense, especially if Cleveland makes up their mind to trade Steven Kwan this winter.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers have multiple MLB-ready prospects, including OF Josue De Paula, LHP Jackson Ferris, RHP River Ryan, and INF Alex Freeland, to name a few.
If the Guardians trade Kwan, they should be getting back multiple highly-rated prospects, and the Dodgers can fulfill that asking price.