The Guardians don’t have a long list of impending free agents, but the handful they do have comes with real offseason decisions attached. Most of this roster is still young and pre-arbitration, with José Ramírez the obvious exception, so the front office’s attention is squarely on a few veterans who are headed toward uncertain futures.
Shawn Armstrong looks like the cleanest non-tender-style call on the board. He does have an $8 million mutual option for 2027, but those deals rarely get picked up, and this one doesn’t seem poised to buck the trend.
Armstrong came in on a $4 million salary, the fourth-highest among players who opened the season with Cleveland, and the return was a 4.58 ERA across 35 1/3 innings. Two lower body injuries kept him from building any rhythm, and at 36, the idea of banking on better health feels shaky.
The Guardians have built a reputation for finding relief help in the minors, so replacing him internally would make sense.
Prediction: Guardians let him walk in free agency.
Foster Griffin’s time in Cleveland was more of a mixed evaluation than a clean success or failure. The Guardians got him at the trade deadline hoping he could be the last piece in the rotation, and he did provide length: at least six innings in six of his nine starts.
Still, only three of those outings counted as quality starts. Griffin came into free agency after an All-Star season and after the Nationals signed him to a $5.5 million deal based on the gains he had made pitching overseas.
Even with his stock taking a bit of a hit in Cleveland, there should be plenty of interest from pitching-starved clubs. The Guardians could use him if they reshuffle their rotation depth, but they’ll have to fight off a crowded market.
Prediction: Griffin leaves in free agency and signs a three-year contract with the Atlanta Braves.
Austin Hedges presents the most interesting twist. Cleveland signed him to one-year, $4 million deals in each of the last two offseasons because of his defense and leadership, but this winter could be different because of his 2026 offense.
A .702 OPS and 99 OPS+ would usually look modest, but for a player who entered the year with a .556 OPS, it counts as a real step up and could help push him into a better payday. The wrinkle for Cleveland is organizational depth: Cooper Ingle and Kody Huff are both MLB-ready catchers in the minors.
That makes Hedges’ return less certain than it once looked.
Prediction: Hedges signs a one-year, $7 million deal with the Rockies… but still joins Stephen Vogt’s coaching staff once he retires.
Rhys Hoskins came to Cleveland on a one-year deal in spring training after a quiet winter in free agency, and his next market may be just as muted. He showed some pop with 13 homers and drew walks at a 14.8% clip, but the rest of the offensive line never really came around.
He finished with a .682 OPS in 95 games, then saw his season end because of a back injury. The Guardians already have Ralphy Velazquez in the organization as their first baseman of the future, so bringing Hoskins back would only cloud the picture at a spot that needs direction.
Predication: Hoskins signs a minor league contract with his hometown Athletics.
Nathaniel Lowe arrived at the deadline as the last move in Cleveland’s effort to shore up first base, and his role was straightforward: hit. He did that in bursts, opening hot before fading as the season wound down. The Guardians liked what he brought to the clubhouse, but retaining him would add more clutter to a first base situation that still needs clarity.
In Other News...
Guardians Make Their Stephen Vogt Stance Clear Amid Seattle Buzz
Stephen Vogts name surfaced in the Seattle managerial conversation, but Cleveland moved quickly to make its position clear. Vogt confirmed he will remain with the Guardians, and team president Chris Antonetti said the club views him as under contract beyond 2027, a sign the organization is treating this as a long-term arrangement rather than a short-term stop along the way.
The bigger takeaway for Cleveland is stability. The Guardians expect continuity not just in the dugout but throughout the staff, with pitching coach Carl Willis also slated to return in 2027. For a team that has leaned on consistency to stay competitive, keeping the current structure intact matters almost as much as any offseason move. [Read more 🡒]
Steven Kwan Puts Cleveland At A Tough Offseason Crossroads
Steven Kwans status gives Cleveland one of its most interesting offseason questions, because the Guardians are staring at the final year of his club control while also weighing a future that could get expensive fast. He is projected to earn more than $11 million through arbitration in 2027, and after a strong second half in 2026, he again showed why he remains a valuable piece, even earning Gold Glove finalist recognition in center field.
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 🡒]
Stephen Vogt Gives Guardians Fans A Clear Answer On His Future
Stephen Vogt has taken the uncertainty off the table for Guardians fans, making it clear he plans to be back in Cleveland next season. The manager shut down the buzz linking him to the Seattle Mariners, a notable development for a club that just rode his leadership to the American League Championship Series and now has some offseason stability at the top.
Vogt remains under contract, which already gave the Guardians a strong position heading into the winter, but his public stance adds another layer of reassurance after a season that raised the profile of both the team and its manager. For a club trying to build on this year's run, keeping the dugout intact matters just as much as any roster move, and Cleveland can at least head into the offseason knowing where its skipper expects to be. [Read more 🡒]