The Cleveland Guardians enter the 2026-27 offseason with a clear to-do list. After reaching the AL Championship Series for the second time in three years and falling short again, they’re staring at a window that needs the right additions. At the same time, free agency is about to strip pieces from the roster, which leaves Cleveland with some obvious gaps to patch.
One of the first names that should be at the top of that list is Austin Hedges. He’s more than a backup catcher, and Cleveland knows it.
He brings a relationship with almost every pitcher on the staff, plus experience, clubhouse stability, leadership, and elite game-calling. The Guardians also got more than just the defense this year.
Hedges put in the work to become a league-average hitter, and his 100 wRC+ backs that up. Only 22 catchers with at least 200 plate appearances hit that mark, and he was among them.
There’s also the Parker Messick angle, and it matters. Hedges is Messick’s personal catcher, and Messick just delivered a season that looked ace-level: a 2.56 ERA with 193 strikeouts. That connection alone makes the backstop a priority for Cleveland.
Beyond that, the Guardians need impact. Not depth, not nice-fitting pieces - difference-makers.
The offense already has young talent on the rise. Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana are the names to watch for the future, while Angel Martinez and Brayan Rocchio both took steps forward this season.
Ralphy Velazquez is still waiting for his chance, but the talent is there. Jose Ramirez also has bounceback potential next year, and Steven Kwan and Jo Adell are both in the last year of their contracts.
Even with all that, Cleveland still needs one more star bat to ease the load on the younger players and complement Ramirez, who might be declining. The lineup can only take so much pressure from the internal growth project.
The same goes for the pitching staff. With Foster Griffin set to hit free agency, the Guardians could use another top arm to pair with rotation anchors Gavin Williams and Messick. That pitcher doesn’t have to be on the same level as those two, but he does need more upside than Griffin.
Joey Cantillo and Tanner Bibee remain important parts of the picture, but neither carries the ceiling of a true frontline starter. If Cleveland can add another high-end arm to the mix, the rotation could become downright overwhelming.
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 🡒]