The Guardians have an offseason call to make on Austin Hedges, and the message from the front office sounds like a player who has earned the right to see where the market takes him.
Chris Antonetti didn’t shut the door on a reunion, but he made clear that Hedges’ 2026 situation needs to play out on its own. The longtime Cleveland executive pointed to the veteran catcher’s body of work this year, praising both his defense and the best offensive season of his career.
“Where things go from here, we have to figure out. But as we told Austin, he put together an extraordinary year, and he not only matched an incredible defensive reputation as a catcher, but put together the best offensive season of his career.
So, he’s earned the right to see what’s out there in a market, but that doesn’t diminish or take away any of our appreciation for the contributions he’s made. We don’t know what the future is going to hold, but for at least three years, I got to spend them with him and watch him develop into the person that he is even more so, and I can’t say enough good things about Austin,” Antonetti said.
After Cleveland was eliminated from the ALCS by the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday, Hedges sounded like a player who still wants to be part of the picture.
“I hope this isn’t the last time I put a Cleveland jersey on.”
Whether that feeling holds after the offseason plays out is another question. Hedges is a free agent, and both sides may need time to sort through what comes next.
Cleveland first acquired Hedges from the San Diego Padres during the 2020 season. He later spent time with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Texas Rangers in 2023, and he won the World Series with Texas that year. He returned to the Guardians in 2024 and has continued to come back on one-year deals each offseason.
The catcher room changed again when Bailey arrived in May in a trade with the San Francisco Giants. That move sent Bo Naylor to the minors, and he was eventually traded to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Even with Bailey taking a step forward at the plate and Hedges tailing off after his career-best start, the two still split the job close to their normal rhythm, with Hedges also serving as Parker Messick’s personal catcher. In the playoffs, though, the usage tilted sharply toward Bailey: Hedges got just three at-bats across four appearances, while Bailey played in all 11 games and logged 33 at-bats.
For a catcher who has meant so much to the organization, the Guardians now have to decide whether the partnership has reached its end.
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Guardians Face Tough Free Agency Calls With Key Veterans Up Next
The Guardians are heading toward another familiar offseason crossroads, with several veterans set to hit free agency and each one carrying a different kind of value to the roster. Shawn Armstrong, Foster Griffin, Austin Hedges, and Rhys Hoskins all fit into that category of players who helped fill needs during the season, even if their futures now look increasingly uncertain as Cleveland weighs fit, performance, and long-term planning.
Armstrong appears to be the likeliest departure, while the rest of the group is drawing varying levels of outside interest as clubs look for short-term help or depth. Griffin is projected to land with the Braves, Hedges with the Rockies, and Hoskins on a minor league deal with the Athletics, leaving Cleveland with more work to do if it wants to keep any of that experience in-house. [Read more 🡒]
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Steven Kwan Puts Cleveland At A Tough Offseason Crossroads
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For a team still trying to add more power to the lineup, the calculus is not simple. Cleveland can keep Kwan and explore an extension, or it can listen to trade interest before he gets any closer to free agency, and the speculation around him has not gone away even with his recent surge. That leaves the front office trying to balance present value, payroll concerns and the possibility that one of its most reliable players could become the centerpiece of a bigger offseason decision. [Read more 🡒]