Guardians Double Down on Familiar Faces Despite Offensive Woes
The Cleveland Guardians are making their offensive strategy for 2026 crystal clear - they’re betting on the same core group that struggled mightily at the plate last season. While the rest of the league is wheeling and dealing, Cleveland is standing pat, trusting the players they’ve drafted, developed, and acquired over the years to turn things around.
It’s a bold choice, especially when you consider the numbers. Last year, the Guardians hit just .226 as a team, averaged fewer than four runs per game, and ended the season with a negative run differential. That’s not just underwhelming - it’s near the bottom of the league in every major offensive category.
And yet, this is largely the same group that helped Cleveland capture two of the last three AL Central titles. The front office clearly believes that continuity and development will pay off, even after a 2025 campaign that required the biggest comeback in MLB history - and a stunning collapse by Detroit - just to sneak into the postseason on the final day.
Pitchers and catchers (those not suiting up for the World Baseball Classic) are due to report to Goodyear, Arizona, on February 10. And while there will be some new faces in the bullpen, the position player group remains largely unchanged - by design.
Meanwhile, other teams around the league, including within the division, are making moves that raise eyebrows in Cleveland. Over the weekend, Cincinnati inked third baseman Eugenio Suárez to a one-year, $15 million deal.
The White Sox added outfielder Austin Hays for $6 million. Both are right-handed bats - the kind of lineup-balancing power the Guardians could’ve used - and both deals came at a price point that would have still kept Cleveland under last year’s opening day payroll of just under $100 million.
Suárez, who split last season between Arizona and Seattle, launched 49 home runs and drove in 118 runs. Yes, he also struck out 196 times, but in today’s game, that kind of power production for $15 million is a bargain. His deal with the Reds also includes a $16 million mutual option for 2027.
Sure, Suárez plays third base - and that spot in Cleveland is locked up by José Ramírez, who’s in the early stages of a seven-year, $175 million extension. But Ramírez made 26 starts at DH last season, which could have opened the door for Suárez to slot in at third on those days. That kind of flexibility, combined with Suárez’s pop, might’ve added a much-needed jolt to the middle of Cleveland’s lineup.
Last year, Suárez batted .228 overall, but his .824 OPS and 49 homers speak volumes. He crushed right-handed pitching, hitting .252 with 36 homers and 95 RBI, while still managing 13 homers and 23 RBI against lefties despite a .164 average.
Outside of Ramírez and Kyle Manzardo - who hit 30 and 27 homers, respectively - no other Guardian cracked the 15-homer mark in 2025. Suárez would have looked pretty good hitting cleanup or in the five-hole.
Instead, he’s headed back to Cincinnati, where he spent seven seasons from 2015 to 2021. With Gold Glover Ke’Bryan Hayes manning third base, Suárez is expected to get most of his at-bats as the Reds’ designated hitter.
Then there’s Hays, who could’ve helped Cleveland’s lefty-heavy outfield corps. Of the eight outfielders on the Guardians’ 40-man roster, six swing from the left side. Hays would’ve brought a right-handed bat with some versatility and a solid track record against southpaws.
In 103 games for Cincinnati last season, Hays hit .266 with 15 homers and 64 RBI. He posted a .708 OPS against righties and an impressive .819 mark against lefties, batting .319 in those matchups. For his career, he’s a .282 hitter against left-handers - a valuable platoon option that could’ve slotted into center or right field.
But the Guardians didn’t bite. And that’s become a bit of a trend.
The team hasn’t had much success lately with free-agent signings, certainly nothing close to the impact Mike Napoli or Jason Giambi once brought to town. That track record may be one reason Cleveland is rolling with its homegrown core once again.
There could be other factors at play, too. The current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2026 season, and there’s the looming possibility of a shift in ownership from Paul Dolan to minority owner David Blitzer. That kind of uncertainty can affect how aggressively a front office operates.
Still, one thing is certain: the Guardians are handing the keys to a group of young, mostly unproven position players, and giving them a chance to show they belong. Kyle Manzardo, Gabriel Arias, C.J. Kayfus, Angel Martinez, Nolan Jones, Bo Naylor, Brayan Rocchio, Johnathan Rodriguez, Daniel Schneemann, and George Valera are all in the mix - and this could be their best shot to carve out a long-term role.
What they do with that opportunity will define not only their careers, but the Guardians’ season. Opening Day is set for March 26 - and we’re about to find out if standing pat was a smart gamble or a missed opportunity.