Marlins OF could easily solve Guardians' power drought

Last season, the Cleveland Guardians were driven to the postseason by excellent pitching and a middling offense. This season, their hunt for a spot in the postseason is falling just a little short thanks to middling pitching and a miserable offense. You can see the comparison below:

Surprisingly enough, with a 51-51 record and just three games back in the AL wild-card after their loss on Thursday, the Guardians aren’t completely out of the race just yet, although their 21-37 record against teams above .500 is discouraging. At the trade deadline, the Guardians will look to shore up their offensive sinkhole. But who on the market could reverse their misfortunes?

Imagine a lineup featuring Steven Kwan, José Ramírez and Miami Marlins left-handed slugger, Kyle Stowers, hitting towards the top of the order. If the Guardians’ lousy numbers this season can sustain them at .500, Stowers’ bat could put them over the top.

After scuffling through his first few years with the Baltimore Orioles, Stowers found himself traded to the Marlins in 2024. This year, Stowers has broken out epically, hitting .295/.373/.566 with 22 home runs. Though he strikes out a lot (104 Ks this season), his remarkable numbers are a result of solid metrics. 

According to Baseball Savant, Stowers ranks in the elite 90^th percentile in barrels percentage, hard-hit percentage and bat speed. With the Marlins out of the postseason race this year, Stowers has become their most valuable trade chip.

Having played several games at all three outfield positions this season, Stowers could fit anywhere on Cleveland’s outfield turf, though left field is reserved for Kwan. Given his immense success this year, there isn’t much of a question that he would greatly improve the Guardians’ lackluster lineup. His numbers are on par with those of Ramírez. But the question of whether his addition alone can send the team back to the postseason is debatable.

Behind Kwan, Ramírez and Stowers (in this hypothetical situation), the Guardians’ lineup would still lack the firepower to compete with the staunch heavyweights of the American League. However, Stowers doesn’t need to be the fix-all solution for the Guardians this season.

The Guardians’ key producers — Kwan, Ramírez and Clase — are all signed through at least 2027. Stowers is under contract through 2029, giving the Guardians some time to build a competitive team, especially with infielder Travis Bazzana waiting in the wings. Whether or not his contributions are enough to carry the Guardians this year, adding Stowers could be easily a massive victory for Cleveland soon.