The Guardians are back in the kind of deadline conversation that keeps a front office busy and a fan base guessing. With the trade deadline a little more than a week away, Cleveland sits squarely in the postseason mix, and Chris Antonetti has another chance to get creative.
This is not a market built around easy answers. The American League has been strange all season, with no runaway team and 12 of 15 clubs either holding a playoff spot or sitting within six games of one. That kind of logjam leaves plenty of teams undecided, which means the next few days could shape who buys, who sells, and who gets bold.
Cleveland has not made a deadline splash on the level of 2016, when Andrew Miller and Brandon Guyer arrived, or even the waiver-deadline moves that brought in Jay Bruce and Josh Donaldson in 2017 and 2018. Still, the Guardians have shown they can work the margins well. With that in mind, here are five controllable players Antonetti could target.
Casey Schmitt of the Giants is the kind of player who checks a lot of boxes. He has been on the radar all year after a fast start, even as San Francisco slid into a rough season.
The Giants should be sellers, with Buster Posey looking to restock the farm system, and Schmitt would give Cleveland a versatile defender who is also putting together a career year at the plate. He has already topped his previous bests in home runs, doubles, and RBI, while hitting .273.
He also comes with two years of control, which only adds to the appeal.
Spencer Steer is another name that makes sense for Cleveland. The Reds started hot, then fell to the fourth-worst record in the National League after leading the division at the beginning of May.
Their offense has never really caught up to the pitching, but Steer has continued to produce and has become one of the more underrated players in the sport. He would give the Guardians protection near the top of the lineup and help break up the left-handed bats already in the mix.
Steer also has two more years of control.
Matt Shaw brings a different kind of fit. He can move all over the field, but in Chicago he has been squeezed out of his natural third-base spot by Alex Bregman, and there simply has not been enough room elsewhere.
Cleveland, meanwhile, always seems to have pitching, which the Cubs badly need because injuries have battered their rotation. That opens the door for a straightforward swap, with Slade Cecconi mentioned as a possibility.
Shaw has had an uneven big-league run so far, but a steadier role and a fresh start could help unlock the bat that stood out in the minors. He is right-handed, versatile, and under control for five more years, with arbitration still ahead.
If Cleveland wants to deepen the bullpen, Yuki Matsui is a clean fit. The Padres left-hander would not be a headline-grabber, but he would help the Guardians on the edges and add another effective lefty to the relief mix.
Cleveland’s bullpen has been solid without being dominant, and that kind of addition matters as October gets closer. The Padres’ bullpen is their strength, so Matsui could be available depending on how AJ Preller approaches the deadline.
Tim Herrin has a 3.06 ERA and Erik Sabrowski sits at 3.56, while Matsui has posted a 2.68 ERA this season. There is one wrinkle, though: his contract includes provisions that could let him opt out after this season or after 2027.
If he stays on the deal, he would be set to make $13.5 million over the next two years, and he can also decline any option to the minor leagues.
Bryce Miller is the swing-for-the-fences idea on the list. At first glance, it sounds ambitious, but there is a path.
Cleveland and Seattle have matched up in trades before, and the Mariners have more pitching than they can comfortably use, even to the point of trying a six-man rotation. Seattle needs bats, though, and that is where the deal gets tricky for the Guardians, who do not have much to spare.
Any real shot at Miller likely requires a third team. Even so, the upside is obvious.
A playoff rotation of Parker Messick, Gavin Williams, Bryce Miller, and Tanner Bibee would be a problem for any opponent.
There is also the larger backdrop of looming CBA talks, which could affect how aggressive teams are willing to be. Questions about a cap, a floor, or a higher share of revenue could make some general managers hesitate. On the other hand, the possibility of games being missed next year and salaries being prorated might push others to act now.
For Cleveland, the big picture is simple: the Guardians have put themselves in position to compete, and Antonetti has options if he wants to reinforce the roster. The deadline should tell us how far they are willing to go.
In Other News...
This Guardians Trade Idea Feels Like Exactly What Cleveland Needs
With the trade deadline approaching, Cleveland has been linked to the kind of move that would add some real flexibility to a roster still looking for a little more punch. The front office has already signaled that it wants to improve the club, and the fact that the Guardians and Giants have dealt with each other earlier this season only adds another layer to the possibility of another match between two teams that know each other a bit better than most.
What makes this idea stand out is the blend of offense and versatility on the table. The player in question is in the middle of his best season yet, and he has given San Francisco a useful bat while covering multiple spots around the diamond, including second base, third base, shortstop, first base and left field. For a Cleveland team that could use more balance and more options, that sort of profile is exactly the kind of fit that tends to make sense right up until the moment a deadline deal either comes together or slips away. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Finally Have One Last Chance To Cash In On Bo Naylor
Bo Naylors path in Cleveland has narrowed in a hurry. The Guardians have cut back his role, brought Patrick Bailey into the picture, and made it harder to see where Naylor fits long term, even as he has kept working in Triple-A with a respectable offensive showing since the demotion.
That has made him a name worth watching as the trade deadline approaches, especially with several clubs already taking a look. Cleveland may have one last window to turn Naylor into value, and Cooper Ingles rising trade appeal only adds another layer to what could become a broader roster shuffle. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Have Found Another Internal Pitching Answer
The Guardians player-development machine keeps turning out arms, and the latest name to watch is a right-hander who has moved quickly from the lower levels into the upper minors. Cleveland has long leaned on its ability to grow pitching internally, and this season has only reinforced that reputation as another prospect has put himself on the radar with a strong run in the system.
After climbing from High-A to Double-A and then on to Triple-A Columbus in short order, the pitcher has paired that rise with steady production, including a 2.61 ERA in 15 starts. The bigger question now is how Cleveland chooses to use him next, since a move to the bullpen could give the club another option for the stretch run and potentially help ease pressure before the trade deadline. [Read more 🡒]