The Guardians are headed into a winter that could get very interesting, especially if the sport ever lands on a salary floor.
That’s the scenario a reader raised in the latest Hey, Hoynsie question, asking about Foster Griffin and Nate Lowe and whether they could still be around in 2027. Both players are free agents after the postseason, and both have given the Guardians real value since arriving at the trade deadline.
Lowe fits a clear need at first base, where the organization has young left-handed options waiting behind him. Griffin’s case is different but just as important: the Guardians’ starting-pitching depth isn’t exactly overflowing, and after a big year he figures to draw plenty of attention.
The bigger issue, though, is the labor picture. The players association and owners are staring down a difficult winter as they try to hammer out a new basic agreement. If that process ever leads to a salary cap, and then a floor of something like $150 million, it would be worth watching how this front office chooses to spend.
There were also some postseason roster questions. Roster changes can be made during a playoff series if there’s an injury, but the replacement has to match the injured player’s type: pitcher for pitcher, position player for position player. Once that injured player is replaced, he’s done for that series and the next one too, if his team moves on.
Steven Kwan’s Gold Glove case came up as well, and the answer hinges on innings and position. An outfielder needs to reach at least 750 innings by his team’s 138th game, and Kwan clears that bar.
The trick is figuring out whether he’ll be considered a center fielder or a left fielder. Gold Glove voting goes by the position where a player has spent the most time, and according to Baseball Reference, Kwan played 88 games in center field, including 77 starts, for 637 innings.
In left field, he appeared in 98 games, including 65 starts, for 626 2/3 innings. Managers and coaches handle the voting, though they can’t vote for their own players, and sabermetrics defensive data also factors in.
Kyle Manzardo’s postseason status is still up in the air, but his pinch-hitting success gives him a case. He worked out with the Guardians during the bye week, and if he doesn’t crack the roster, he could still travel with the team to Chicago as part of the taxi squad.
There was also a little ballpark philosophy mixed in. One reader argued that different stadium dimensions make the game unfair and render a lot of statistics meaningless.
The response leaned the other way, pointing to the Green Monster, Yankee Stadium’s short right porch and the 19-foot wall in left field at Progressive Field as part of what makes baseball baseball. MLB parks do have to meet specific rules for the infield, bases, mound and minimum fence distances, but teams can still build in history, location and design.
And then came the old pitching standard: why 100 pitches became the magic number. The answer traces back to the late 1980s and early 1990s, when managers and trainers began noticing more arm injuries once pitchers got past that threshold.
Since starting pitchers were - and still are - so valuable, teams started protecting them. Research has piled up since then, and while every arm is different, the 100-pitch mark stuck.
For some pitchers with clean mechanics, 100 to 120 pitches may be manageable. For others, especially hard throwers with rough mechanics, it’s a different story.
Still, that number has become a fixture in how managers think about a start.
In Other News...
Jo Adell Sends Guardians A Clear Message After Flat ALDS Opener
After a flat start to the American League Division Series, the Guardians were left searching for any spark after Chicagos pitching held them to three hits and no runs in Game 1. Clevelands offense never found a rhythm, and with the series shifting back to Progressive Field for Mondays Game 2, the tone around the team quickly turned from disappointment to urgency.
Jo Adell, who went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts, was among the players stressing the need to flush the opener and move on. For a Guardians club that knows how quickly a postseason series can tilt, the challenge now is to reset at home and come back with a cleaner, more aggressive approach before the White Sox can seize full control. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Have A 20-Year-Old Shortstop Fans Need To Watch
Welbyn Francisca is the kind of young infielder who can make a prospect list feel alive, and the 20-year-old shortstop wasted little time reminding people why he has climbed so quickly through the Guardians system. On Opening Day in the Arizona Fall League, Francisca put together a loud all-around performance, going 5-for-5 with a double, a home run, three runs scored, three RBIs, a walk and a stolen base.
What makes that line especially notable is how it fits into the bigger arc of his year. Francisca spent the 2026 minor league season moving across multiple levels, batting .272 with 19 home runs and 53 RBIs despite missing time because of injury, and he is still showing the kind of impact that suggests his rise is far from finished. For Cleveland, the appeal is obvious: a young shortstop with production, athleticism and momentum, all in the same package. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Be Headed For A Costly 2027 Roster Squeeze
Major league clubs always keep one eye on the present and another on the payroll calendar, and the Guardians are getting a reminder of how quickly the bill can climb. MLB Trade Rumors recently laid out projected arbitration salaries for Clevelands 2027 roster, a snapshot that points to Steven Kwan and Jo Adell as two of the pricier names if the club keeps them in the fold.
The projections are only speculative and built from current performance and arbitration eligibility, but they underscore the kind of roster squeeze that can arrive fast for a contender trying to keep its core intact. Not every familiar face is a sure thing to stay, either, with Slade Cecconi and David Fry among the players whose futures could look different by then, leaving Cleveland to weigh cost against continuity. [Read more 🡒]