The Guardians may have more young position-player talent than they know what to do with, and that kind of strength can turn into a problem fast.
That was the backdrop coming out of Cleveland’s postseason meeting, where the front office made it clear it is very high on its young hitters. Beat reporters Joe Noga and Paul Hoynes dug into that theme on the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast after attending the team’s annual wrap-up session, and the big question is whether the Guardians have reached the point where a trade is the cleanest way forward.
The clearest logjam sits at first base and designated hitter. Ralphy Velazquez, one of the organization’s more highly regarded prospects, was told he’ll get a real chance to win a roster spot in spring training.
That is a strong signal from a team that usually doesn’t hurry its young players along. But Kyle Manzardo is still in the mix, too, after opening 2026 as the starting first baseman before getting sent back to Triple-A.
Hoynes framed the issue directly: “I just wonder how Ralphy Velazquez and Manzardo coexist? Does one of them DH? Do they flip between first base and DH?”
Noga floated the most obvious solution. “Solve one of your pitching problems by trading Manzardo or packaging him with a prospect.”
That’s where Cleveland’s winter starts to take shape. The Guardians need more depth in the rotation, and their bullpen was running on fumes by the end of the season. If the club has surplus offense at first base and DH, then that becomes a natural place to shop for the arms it needs.
Travis Bazzana is the one young bat the organization does not want moving around. Cleveland has no interest in adding outfield duties to his workload. The focus instead is on second base, where the plan is for him to spend the offseason sharpening his defense and trying to become a top-level player there.
Hoynes backed that approach, but he also pointed out that Bazzana still has work to do with the glove.
“He is still rough around the edges as a second baseman,” Hoynes said. “We saw some improvement - flashes of improvement. We also saw him take a couple steps back.”
The bat is what makes the project worth it. Hoynes said Bazzana’s offensive numbers would look ordinary in the outfield, but they play much better at second base, where the profile starts to look like an All-Star. Noga described the goal simply: the Guardians need him to become the next Jason Kipnis - productive enough with the bat and good enough defensively.
There’s also another roster change looming. Catcher Austin Hedges appears headed for free agency after three seasons serving as a clubhouse anchor, which would add another layer to a roster that already looks different on the way into the offseason.
The Guardians have the talent. The challenge now is fitting it together while using that surplus to shore up the pitching staff.
In Other News...
Guardians Bullpen Depth Just Took A Hit Fans Should Notice
Carlos Hernndez and Connor Brogdon are both back on the open market after electing free agency following their 2026 seasons with the Guardians. Each spent time moving between the big league roster and the clubs minor league affiliates, giving Cleveland some organizational flexibility without ever becoming central pieces of the bullpen plan.
For a team that always has to think a step ahead with its relief corps, losing two depth arms at once is the kind of small offseason wrinkle worth watching. The Guardians could still circle back and try to bring either pitcher back later in the winter, but for now the bullpen depth chart has a little less certainty than it did a day ago. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Already Have Tough Calls Waiting In Free Agency
Even with the season still unfolding, the Guardians already have a few roster questions lining up for the winter. Several players on the 40-man roster are set to hit free agency after the year, giving the front office another round of decisions to weigh as it looks ahead to 2026 and beyond. Among the names in that group are Foster Griffin, Austin Hedges, Nathaniel Lowe and Rhys Hoskins, a mix that touches both depth and more established production.
Each brings a different case to the table, which is what makes the conversation tricky. Cleveland will have to sort through recent performance, roster fit and whether any of those players make sense to bring back or let walk, and those calls could shape the makeup of the club well beyond this season. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Offseason Pitching Plan Is Starting To Come Into Focus
After another deep October run ended in AL Championship Series elimination, the Guardians are already turning the page toward the pitching market, and the early outline of their winter plan is becoming clearer. Cleveland is looking at free-agent arms who could help balance a staff that needs more options, especially on the left side, with the kind of versatility and late-inning reliability that can matter over a long season.
Two names stand out in that conversation: JoJo Romero and Kris Bubic. Romero brings the profile of a left-handed reliever whose recent postseason work only boosts his appeal, while Bubic offers a different kind of fit with experience both starting and pitching out of the bullpen, even if health questions are part of the evaluation. For the Guardians, the challenge now is deciding which type of help best matches the roster they want to build for another run. [Read more 🡒]