The Cleveland Guardians are heading into the offseason with the same issue that followed them into the last one: they need more punch in the lineup. Jo Adell is already in the mix now, but that still doesn’t solve everything for a club that could use another impact bat, or maybe two.
The numbers tell the story. Cleveland finished 27th in the majors in home runs and 26th in OPS this season.
Those marks improved after Adell arrived at the trade deadline, but not enough to change the bigger picture. That’s why two FOX Sports analysts, Rowan Kavner and Deesha Thosar, pointed to “Power” as the Guardians’ biggest offseason need.
“Biggest Need: Power,” Rowan Kavner and Deesha Thosar wrote. “The Guardians, largely, were relying on their young hitters to fix their powerless lineup in 2026, and while there are obvious reasons to get excited about rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter and fellow rookie second baseman Travis Bazzana, the emergence of those two wasn’t enough - especially with franchise cornerstone Jose Ramirez not having a typical Ramirez season at third.”
DeLauter and Bazzana both turned in strong rookie seasons, but the long ball still wasn’t there in the volume Cleveland needed. Together, they hit 31 home runs across more than 900 at-bats. Even with that production, the Guardians only managed 65 home runs from the No. 3, 4 and 5 spots in the order over more than 2,100 plate appearances.
Angel Martinez paced the team with 18 homers, with DeLauter next at 16. Brayan Rocchio and Bazzana each finished with 15. First baseman Kyle Manzardo was supposed to add more after launching 27 homers in 2025, but he hit just 13 before getting sent down to the minors.
Ramirez’s drop-off was the biggest hit of all. After consecutive 30-homer seasons, including a career-best 39 in 2024, the 33-year-old finished with only 12 this year. Hamate bone surgery in June played a role in the decline, and he managed just two home runs after returning.
The Guardians also don’t appear likely to chase the top end of the free-agent market, which could rule out names like Seiya Suzuki, Teruaki Sato and Jake Bauers. That may push Cleveland toward the trade route, where the club has been connected to Washington Nationals infielder CJ Abrams and Boston Red Sox outfielder Jared Duran.
Still, the most realistic path may be internal growth. Adell is arbitration-eligible and could give the lineup a full season of production, and first base prospect Ralphy Velazquez is another name to watch after he hit 29 home runs in 121 minor league games this season.
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 🡒]
Guardians Deadline Moves Just Got The Recognition Cleveland Fans Wanted
The Guardians deadline shopping spree is getting the kind of after-the-fact validation Cleveland fans usually have to wait for. The Athletic ranked several of the teams moves among the top 30 deadline deals, with starting pitcher Foster Griffin, first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and outfielder Jo Adell all drawing notice for the ways they helped shape the 2026 season.
Griffins postseason work stood out on the mound, Lowe brought timely hitting and steady defense, and Adell gave the lineup a needed jolt with key offensive moments in October, including a pair of triples in the playoffs. For a front office that took real swings at the deadline, the recognition serves as a reminder that these were not just headline-grabbing additions, but moves that actually mattered when the games got bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Clevelands Two Breakout Pitchers Are Suddenly In National Award Spotlight
Cade Smith and Parker Messick gave Cleveland plenty to celebrate beyond the standings this season, and now both pitchers are drawing national attention for it. Smith was honored with the Bob Feller Man of the Year Award and has also emerged as a finalist for the inaugural BBWAA Reliever of the Year award, while Messick picked up the Frank Gibbons-Steve Olin Good Guy Award after earning a reputation not just for his work on the mound, but for the way he handled the media and the day-to-day demands that come with a breakout year.
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 🡒]