Cleveland Guardians 2026 Postseason Dreams Rest On Aggressive Offseason

Steven Kwan’s name has appeared numerous times in trade talk early this offseason in several articles. The 27-year-old is known for his contact at the plate, but his stellar defense earned him a gold glove in all four seasons he’s played. He’s still under team control through 2028 and would only be an estimated $8.5 million payroll hit to any team.

One suitor that’s been repeatedly named is the New York Yankees, who are at risk of losing Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham in free agency. Outside of Aaron Judge, their upcoming outfield corps in Jasson Domiguez and Spencer Jones remains unproven. A swap involving Kwan could net the Guardians Jones’ high power ceiling, but also a pitching prospect to plug into their rotation.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, the MLB’s juggernaut, are also in the market for a left-fielder after Michael Conforto didn’t pan out. What could pull Cleveland to do a deal with the Dodgers could be the seven top-100 prospects Los Angeles houses. It’s unlikely the Guardians could get two of them, but they could seek a pitcher in Jackson Ferris, who could fill the void left by Luis Ortiz. River Ryan is also in the mix, and Cleveland could ask for James Tibbs III for outfield help in the future.

Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Phillies need some help in the outfield with Max Kepler leaving from left field. The team is in dire need of youth and team control, which Kwan provides. Cleveland’s price tag is likely high, but they could potentially steal away pitcher Moises Chace or first baseman Keaton Anthony. Aidan Miller and Justin Crawford could be moved, but it would take a lot from the Guardians’ side on top of Kwan.

Make A Big Splash For A Big Bat Or Big Arm

The one thing this team struggles with offensively is finding a second power bat outside of Ramirez. Designated Hitter Kyle Manzardo is the only player to have an OPS above .750 outside of Ramirez on the entire team. Mastering smallball is always a good trait to have, but the Guardians need a big-time hitter in their lineup, and they have to spend for it.

A shocking move by Cleveland would be to go all in on first baseman Pete Alonso. Carlos Santana is no longer on the team, while first base prospect Ralphy Velazquez is still two years away from a major league debut. None of their top five hitters had any reps at first over the last year as well.

A contract for Alonso would span well over $25 million, perhaps into $30 million per year, but it could be worth it for a lineup seeking to take pressure off Ramirez. They could also go for Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger, but current talk suggests a move like that would be unlikely if they sign Alonso.

Cleveland does have a strong pitching prospect in Khal Stephen, who could debut in 2026, but they need someone to fill in for the aforementioned Ortiz. The Guardians need a second left-handed starter, which could point them to Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez. They have a budget to go and spend, and this should be the year it’s utilized to its full extent.

If the Guardians want to save money, however, Jordan Montgomery could eat innings. Nestor Cortes could be another option for a year until Stephen is ready to go, or if they make a trade deadline deal next year. The hole left by Shane Bieber has to be addressed, even with Gavin Williams stepping up and taking the role.

That’s not even mentioning the loss of Emmanuel Clase to a gambling scandal. If this is a main priority for 2026, which it will be, signing Gregory Soto or even Devin Williams could make sense. Neither is going to replicate Clase, but Williams is a strikeout machine, while Soto can also make batters miss on a good day.

Put Faith In The Rookies

The top four players in the Guardians’ farm system are expected to make a debut sometime in 2026, per MLB Pipeline. Two of these players, Travis Bazzana and Chase DeLauter, appear to be ready to start Opening Day.

Bazzana might need a little more time if Cleveland wishes, but he showcases good gap power and a decent eye at the plate. Despite hitting only .225 in Triple-A, he had a .420 OBP with nearly 50% of his hits being for extra bases.

DeLauter, on the other hand, slugged a .278/.383/.859 slash line with five home runs and eight doubles. He also has a near 1:1 ratio for walks to strikeouts. The only downside is that he might spend a lot of time on the injured reserve, given his injury history from his wrist to a hernia.

Cooper Ingle, the team’s top catching prospect, hit 10 home runs across Double and Triple-A, though he has struggled a bit in the latter. If Austin Hedges continues to have issues in the majors, Ingle could steal the catching job behind Bo Naylor.

End Of My Cleveland Guardians Rant

The Guardians repeatedly get to the playoffs in some type of impressive fashion, always with one of the lowest payrolls in the majors. Cleveland shouldn’t buy its way to a win, but make smart investments depending on their needs. That starts with a power bat, a power pitcher, or by simply investing in their rookies when they get hot.

It’s about the World Series, their first championship in nearly 70 years. After their loss to the Tigers in the Wild Card, they have to assume their approach is good, but not good enough. The Dolan family must make a big move or bold decisions in the team’s lineups to reach baseball nirvana.