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The Cleveland Guardians have made a couple of moves this offseason, but their front office still has a long way to go before the team becomes a division contender.
Now seems like a great time to take a look at Cleveland's roster and rank what their top needs are, as the annual winter meetings get ready to begin on Sunday evening.
1. An Outfield Bat
This one has been talked about a ton already, but that's because it's the obvious need that the Guardians need to add. Cleveland's offense left a lot to be desired in 2023, and the clear place they can upgrade is in the outfield.
Trading or signing an impact bat who can play every day should be the Guardians' number one priority this winter.
2. Starting Pitching
The Guardians have a solid trio of young arms set to go in their rotation for next season with Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, and Logan Allen ready for year two. However, there are questions after that.
Will Triston McKenzie stay healthy? Will Shane Bieber be on the Opening Day roster?
Because of these unknowns, acquiring another starting pitcher sometime before spring training starts feels like a wise move.
3. Bullpen Depth
A team can never have too much depth in its bullpen. While the Guardians finished with the sixth-best reliever ERA (3.79) in the American League this season, they could always use another arm or two so everyone is fresh.
Cleveland already addressed this need by acquiring RHP Scott Barlow from the San Diego Padres, which will help for sure. However, acquiring another high-strikeout-rate pitcher is necessary for long-term success, especially if the Guardians go through with trading Emmanuel Clase.
4. Backup Catcher
Cleveland's catching depth is low organization-wide. Yes, Bo Naylor will be the everyday catcher, and the Guardians also claimed Christian Bethancourt off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Guardians could be in a tough position if Naylor or Bethancourt suffer an injury. It's not something that should be super high on this list, but if there's an opportunity to upgrade this area, then Cleveland should take it.
More must-reads:
- Mets to promote top pitching prospect for MLB debut
- Paul Skenes' recent struggles open door for Phillies aces in NL Cy Young race
- The 'American League WAR leaders' quiz
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Yankees Rookie Benched for Third Straight Game Amid Playoff Push
For the first time all season, Jasson Dominguez is watching from the dugout for a third consecutive game. The Yankees’ 22-year-old rookie hasn’t started since Sunday, sitting out the entire series against the Minnesota Twins. Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters that Dominguez is simply the odd man out and is not injured. Dominguez entered Wednesday hitting .253/.330/.389 with nine home runs, 37 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases in 99 games. He’s played in 376 plate appearances, posting a 10.1% walk rate and 27.4% strikeout rate, with a wRC+ of 102 and 0.6 WAR according to FanGraphs. Over the past month, his line sits at .262/.319/.393 with three homers, but his last week has been a struggle; he’s hitting just 1-for-15 at the plate. Advanced metrics show a mixed picture of his rookie campaign. Baseball Savant tracks his average exit velocity at 90.7 mph and Hard-Hit Rate at 50.2%, numbers that rank among the better marks for first-year players. However, his barrel rate (6.9%) and xwOBA (.313) suggest there’s room to grow when it comes to maximizing contact quality. Defensively, his Outs Above Average sits at -7, a number the Yankees will want to see improve if he’s going to stick in center field long term. The missed games raise questions only because of Dominguez’s importance to the Yankees’ lineup and his standing among this year’s rookies. MLB.com’s most recent AL Rookie of the Year poll ranked him fifth, and Baseball America’s midseason rookie list had him sixth. His blend of power, speed, and on-base ability, plus the fact he’s already swiped 19 bags, makes him a rare bright spot in an otherwise inconsistent offense. Given the Yankees’ push to lock down a postseason berth, getting Dominguez’s bat and legs back in the mix will be a priority. For now, the “Martian” is grounded and it raises questions about the future.
Oregon suspends former five-star WR recruit indefinitely
Oregon wide receiver Jurrion Dickey has struggled to live up to expectations in his first two seasons with the Ducks, and he is now in a terrible position heading into 2025 as well. Dickey has been suspended indefinitely by Oregon, head coach Dan Lanning announced on Tuesday. Lanning also suggested that Dickey may not play for the Ducks again. "We have two team rules; that’s respectful, be on time,” Lanning said, via James Crepea of The Oregonian. “There’s some pieces of that where I felt like he needed a break from us and we needed a break from that so we could focus on what’s in front of us right now. "Wishing him nothing but the best, as far as success and want to see him get back to where he can be a contributor somewhere; that might be here that might be somewhere else.” Dickey was a five-star recruit and rated as one of the top wide receivers in the country when he came out of Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, California, in 2023. He suffered an injury in his senior year in high school and redshirted as a freshman at Oregon. Dickey has two catches for 14 years during his time with the Ducks. Oregon went 13-1 in Lanning's third season with the program last season. The Ducks lost to eventual national champion Ohio State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Even Mike Macdonald couldn't rattle Sam Darnold, Seahawks insider reports
With so much riding on Sam Darnold, the Seattle Seahawks are doing everything they can to make sure he's ready for the season itself. In such cases, having a defensive mastermind like Mike Macdonald as a head coach comes in handy. Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune detailed how Macdonald has tested Darnold throughout training camp with various pressures and coverages. While Macdonald's defense gave Darnold trouble early on, but the quarterback has adjusted and is now throwing the ball with ease. Sam Darnold figuring out Mike Macdonald's complex defense "Darnold has gotten accustomed to Macdonald’s tricks along the defensive front," Bell wrote. "The quarterback is now anticipating rookie safety Nick Emmanwori really being an outside linebacker off the edge, about to blitz him. Darnold is figuring out Macdonald’s shifting of defensive backs, from what looks like man-to-man coverage at the snap to what is in fact zone, and vice versa. "Darnold is acing it. After a spate of interceptions early in camp, he hasn’t thrown one in practice since Monday, Aug. 4, an overthrow that landed into the arms of safety D’Anthony Bell. He’s looking more like the quarterback who went 14-3 with 4,300 yards passing and 35 touchdowns in a breakout 2024 season with Minnesota. He’s looking more like the QB the Seahawks traded Geno Smith to get." Even Macdonald conceded that Darnold has figured out his defense, noting how his quick release is giving the unit trouble. “It’s a pain in the butt to pressure you, because the ball’s out and you’re making (quick throws)," Macdonald told Darnold during Sunday's practice. “It’s hard to get to you.” What version of Darnold the Seahawks are going to get is crucial for their season as a whole. Will they get the version that excelled last season with the Minnesota Vikings, or will they get the career journeyman he was before that? Only time will tell for sure, but they're doing everything they can to bring out the best version of him. “I thought we’ve had a really good few weeks,” Darnold said. “Just awesome to see where the team has come from the beginning of training camp.”
Celtics' sale comes with significant and surprising twists
The sale of the Celtics to an investor group led by William Chisholm has received unanimous approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors, the league announced. The results of the vote were never really in doubt, but it’s significant that there was no opposition to Chisholm’s purchase. The league states that the deal is expected to be finalized soon. Chisholm, a Massachusetts native and lifelong Celtics fan, reached a tentative agreement in March to purchase the franchise for $6.1 billion, which set a record at the time as the largest amount ever paid for a North American sports team. That number has since been exceeded by the sale of the Lakers for $10 billion. Chisholm submitted the highest offer among four groups that were bidding for the team. According to Brian Robb of MassLive, his other stakeholders include Aditya Mittal, Robert Hale and Bruce A. Beal Jr., along with Sixth Street, a private investment firm. Chisholm’s group will obtain a 51% stake in the team from the Grousbeck family in the first phase of the sale and will purchase the remaining shares in 2028. When the sale was first announced, Wyc Grousbeck intended to remain in his role as the team’s governor through the 2027-28 season. However, in a surprising twist, a report on Tuesday indicates that’s no longer possible because Grousbeck will control less than the 15% minimum stake that the NBA requires for the person who holds that position. Instead, Chisholm will become lead governor as soon as the sale is official with Grousbeck serving as alternate governor and CEO through the 2027-28 season. Chisholm will take over the Celtics during a time of transition after years of being one of the NBA’s elite teams. Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles injury coupled with a second-round playoff exit have placed an emphasis on cost-cutting measures to lower the team’s tax bill and escape second-apron restrictions. Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet are already gone from last year’s roster, and more money-saving moves may take place before the new season begins.
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