The trade deadline ended up leaving a real mark on the Guardians’ season, and three of their biggest additions landed near the top of The Athletic’s ranking of the year’s best deadline moves.
Johnny Flores Jr. placed starter Foster Griffin at No. 19, first baseman Nathaniel Lowe at No. 7 and outfielder Jo Adell at No. 6 on his list of the 30 most impactful deadline deals. Flores summed up the group this way: “On paper, [Foster Griffin] seemed like a slam-dunk acquisition for both parties.
In reality, if not for October, this trade would be panned even more; Yes, Lowe was disappointing to close the year, but he was clutch in October, making the trade well worth it. Only Chase DeLauter had a higher cWPA (Championship Win Probability Added) than Lowe in the ALCS; Unlike Lowe, Adell was great down the stretch and carried it into October, where his two triples helped lift the Guardians over a pesky White Sox team,” Flores posted.
Griffin arrived after a strong first four months with the Washington Nationals, when he put up a 3.06 ERA and made the All-Star team. His Cleveland run wasn’t nearly as sharp in the regular season, since he posted a 5.19 ERA across nine starts, but he finished with a 3.48 ERA in the postseason and handled a range of October roles well.
Lowe’s numbers with the Guardians were uneven at the plate. He finished with a 77 wRC+ after a much stronger stretch in Cincinnati, but he still brought value in the way he worked at-bats, drove in runs and tightened up the infield defense. In the playoffs, he posted a 91 wRC+ and knocked in five RBI over 11 games.
Adell may have been the most productive of the three deadline pickups. In 48 games with Cleveland, he hit seven home runs, drove in 32 runs and posted a 107 wRC+. Even with a 69 wRC+ in the postseason, his two clutch triples against the White Sox stood out as one of the defining moments of the run.
However the long view plays out, the deadline additions gave the Guardians a major boost in 2026.
In Other News...
Guardians Take Another Pitching Flier With One Intriguing Bullpen Upside
The Guardians added another arm to their pitching mix this week, signing left-hander Antoine Kelly to a minor league contract for the 2027 season and bringing him into major league spring training as well. It is the kind of low-risk move Cleveland has long been willing to make, especially with pitchers who have bounced around the league and still offer a chance to be shaped into something useful.
Kelly has already reached the majors with the Cubs, and his path has taken him through the Brewers, Rangers, Rockies and Dodgers organizations. For Cleveland, the appeal is straightforward: more depth, more competition, and another bullpen option to evaluate without using a major league roster spot. [Read more 🡒]
Clevelands Two Breakout Pitchers Are Suddenly In National Award Spotlight
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For a club that has long valued pitching depth and professionalism, the recognition fits the profile of both players. Smiths rise has turned him into one of the more notable relief arms in the league, and Messicks strong season has put him in the conversation for AL Rookie of the Year. The awards underscore how quickly both have moved from promising pieces to names with real league-wide weight, even if the bigger question now is how far each can carry that momentum from here. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Could Face A Tough Young Talent Decision This Winter
The General Manager meetings this week will kick off the unofficial start of the hot stove season, and the Guardians already have a few names that figure to circulate in trade chatter. Cooper Ingle, Hunter Gaddis and Daniel Schneemann are all the kind of younger pieces other clubs like to ask about, especially when a front office is trying to balance present needs with long-term depth.
Steven Kwan is likely to draw the loudest speculation, though, simply because his looming free agency makes him an obvious talking point around the league. For Cleveland, the question is less about whether rumors will follow and more about how aggressively it wants to listen if rival clubs start calling on a player who has become central to the rosters identity. [Read more 🡒]