The Cleveland Guardians’ offseason began with four familiar names testing the market, and each departure path looks a little different.
Austin Hedges, Rhys Hoskins, Nathaniel Lowe and Foster Griffin all elected free agency on Thursday, the morning after the Milwaukee Brewers won the World Series. That gave Cleveland four players with expiring contracts moving into the open market after the club’s run to a third straight AL Central title and an American League Championship Series appearance.
“The following Cleveland #Guardians players elected free agency on Thursday. C Austin Hedges 1B Rhys Hoskins 1B Nathaniel Lowe LHP Foster Griffin,” Guardians Prospective wrote.
The following Cleveland #Guardians players elected free agency on Thursday.
C Austin Hedges
1B Rhys Hoskins
1B Nathaniel Lowe
LHP Foster Griffin
- Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) October 30, 2026
Griffin stands out as the toughest name for Cleveland to keep. The left-hander posted a 15-6 record with a 3.60 ERA across 172 2/3 innings between Washington and Cleveland, punched out 158 hitters and earned an All-Star nod in the National League.
He was even sharper in October, piling up 15 strikeouts over 10 1/3 postseason innings. He is projected for a three-year, $67 million contract, and some estimates put his value around $20 million per year, a number that may be beyond Cleveland’s comfort zone.
Lowe came through with some of the postseason’s biggest swings, including a go-ahead two-run single in Game 1 of the ALCS against the Rays. But his regular season line with Cleveland was quiet after the trade deadline move, as he finished with a .650 OPS. Chris Antonetti said the team will remain in touch with Lowe and Griffin, though bringing Lowe back at market value sounds more hopeful than realistic.
Hedges is a different case entirely. He remains the emotional center of the group, and this is a player Cleveland has brought back on one-year deals in each of the last three offseasons.
After the ALCS loss, he said he hopes it wasn’t the last time he puts on a Cleveland jersey. He also just turned in one of the stronger offensive seasons of his career, hitting .249 with six home runs and a .708 OPS, which could draw interest elsewhere.
Even so, Patrick Bailey is set to start behind the plate, with Cooper Ingle and Kody Huff both pressing for the backup role.
Hoskins looks like the least likely to stay. The veteran first baseman spent the final stretch of the season on the injured list with lower back inflammation and did not make Cleveland’s postseason roster.
Those four free agents leave openings at first base, backup catcher and in the rotation. Top prospect Ralphy Velazquez could eventually slide into the first-base job in 2027 after hitting 29 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A, while David Fry gives the Guardians options across multiple spots.
Cleveland may not have long to sort through it all. With the collective bargaining agreement set to expire on Dec. 1 and a possible lockout on the horizon, there’s a sense that free agency could move fast in November. The decisions on Hedges, Hoskins, Lowe and Griffin may end up setting the tone for an important winter.
In Other News...
Guardians May Have A 2027 Rotation Answer Emerging Late
Austin Petersons late-season run gave the Guardians a useful look at a pitcher who may fit somewhere in their plans beyond this October. In the final regular-season game, he covered the last five innings and helped save the bullpen for the postseason, a practical assignment that also happened to showcase the kind of versatility Cleveland tends to value. His appearances suggested real upside, and his background as a minor league starter only adds to the intrigue.
With the pitching staff still unsettled behind the top three starters, Peterson has put himself into the mix for a bigger role down the line. Whether that path leads back into a rotation conversation or into a bullpen job, he has given the organization something it did not necessarily have a few weeks ago: a reason to keep watching his development closely. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Could Exploit Angels Chaos To Strengthen Their Biggest Advantage
The Guardians already dipped into the Angels roster once by landing outfielder Jo Adell for minor league catcher Jacob Cozart, and that move may have only sharpened the focus on what else could be available as Los Angeles sorts through its usual roster churn. Cleveland has made a habit of building around run prevention and pitching depth, so any chance to add another arm from a team under pressure naturally stands out.
Reid Detmers is the name that keeps surfacing as a possible fit, especially after a strong recent season showed what he can look like when everything clicks. The appeal for Cleveland is obvious: a starter with upside, some track record and a profile that could slot into a rotation built on consistency. The catch is the same one that always comes with talent of this kind, since his remaining club control is limited and theres no indication a deal is anywhere close. [Read more 🡒]
Chase DeLauter Is Suddenly Facing A Huge Guardians Question
Chase DeLauters first full season in the majors gave the Guardians exactly the kind of build they hoped for when he arrived as a highly regarded young outfielder. In 133 games, he put together a .287/.363/.457 slash line with 16 home runs and 67 RBIs, production that has him in the mix for both AL Rookie of the Year and a Silver Slugger award as Cleveland looks for more impact bats to pair with its pitching core.
The Rookie of the Year race, though, is where the real intrigue sits for Cleveland. DeLauter will be competing with teammate Parker Messick for the honor, even if Detroit infielder Kevin McGonigle is the favorite, and that makes the Guardians attention drift to a different prize. DeLauters offensive profile gives him a strong chance to bring home Silver Slugger recognition, which would be a fitting marker for a debut season that already put him firmly on the leagues radar. [Read more 🡒]