The Cleveland Guardians spent another October watching someone else finish the job, and that’s only sharpened the focus on what this roster lacks. After Milwaukee wrapped up the 2026 World Series title on Wednesday night, Cleveland’s offseason conversation quickly turned to offense - specifically, power - and one analyst made the case that the Guardians can’t afford to lose Jo Adell.
On a recent episode of Cleveland’s Talking Heads, Andy Baskin and Jeff Phelps talked through Adell’s contract situation. He has one year left on his deal, and even with some rough playoff at-bats, Phelps argued Cleveland should keep the outfielder in place.
“He’s a right-handed power bat. What have they been looking for for some time? A right-handed power bat,” Phelps said.
Adell’s case is built on more than the eye test. After coming over from the Los Angeles Angels ahead of the trade deadline, he drove in 32 runs in 48 games for Cleveland.
In a lineup that lacked finishing punch, that mattered. Angel Martinez led the Guardians with just 18 home runs in 2026, while Adell finished the year with 23 combined between his two teams after launching 37 in his breakout 2025 season.
His postseason line didn’t include a home run, but Adell still produced. In 11 October games, he doubled twice, tripled twice and knocked in eight runs. That kind of contribution is exactly why the idea of letting him walk feels risky for Cleveland.
Given how the roster is built right now, the logic is straightforward: the Guardians need more power, not less. Moving Adell this offseason would leave a hole in a lineup that already needs help. And if he follows this with another strong 2027 season, Cleveland would be wise to get serious about a long-term deal.
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Griffins case is especially interesting because his regular season with Cleveland was rocky, but he settled in when the games mattered most, giving the front office something to weigh beyond the full-season line. Lowe brings a different kind of conversation, with his results ranging more unevenly and his path clouded by competition already on the roster. Neither situation is settled yet, which is why these are more than routine free-agent notes for a team trying to build on a postseason that fell just short. [Read more 🡒]