As the MLB trade deadline approaches, the Cleveland Guardians are drawing attention not just for who they might add, but for who they could be willing to move.
Three names stand out on the roster: Bo Naylor, Steven Kwan and Rhys Hoskins.
Bo Naylor looks like the clearest candidate. Cleveland already traded for Patrick Bailey in May, and Bailey isn’t a free agent until after the __ season.
The Guardians also have catching depth beyond Naylor, with Austin Hedges, Cooper Ingle and Kody Huff in the minors, plus Jacob Cozart and Bennett Thompson not far behind. Naylor’s major league track record hasn’t taken off, either, with a career .651 OPS and some shaky defense at times.
Even so, he does bring experience handling a big-league staff. With teams such as the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and division rival Chicago White Sox looking for catching help, Cleveland may decide this is the right moment to get something back for him, even if the return is modest and the main gain is clearing a roster spot.
Kwan is a different case. He was one of the most talked-about trade names at last year’s deadline, but the Guardians kept him then.
A few months ago, dealing him would have been tough to pull off after a rough stretch at the plate pushed him down to ninth in a struggling lineup. Now, though, he’s back on track.
Over his last 30 games, he owns a .344/.432/.438 slash line, and he still brings elite defense anywhere in the outfield. That kind of profile can still draw interest.
With just a year and a half of team control left, Cleveland could decide to cash in if it believes his value is near its peak.
Hoskins has not delivered the kind of season the Guardians wanted when they brought him in. He’s on pace for a career-low .673 OPS and has had trouble against left-handed pitching as well. But right-handed bats are in demand this deadline, and a club that misses out on bigger names like Taylor Ward or Lane Thomas could see Hoskins as a cheaper fallback option.
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Twins Just Put Serious Trade Deadline Pressure On Chris Antonetti
The trade deadline picture in the AL Central is getting a little clearer, and it is putting the Guardians in a tougher spot. Cleveland has been careful not to tip its hand beyond saying it will look at ways to improve the team, but the Twins are signaling a more aggressive posture as the deadline approaches, which matters in a division race where every move can ripple across the standings.
For Chris Antonetti, the pressure now comes not just from what Cleveland needs, but from what Minnesota is willing to do to answer it. The Twins are expected to be active and have already altered the market in ways that could affect the price of help elsewhere, leaving the Guardians to weigh whether standing pat is good enough when a direct rival appears ready to spend its way into the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Be Revisiting A Trade Deadline Fix Fans Know Too Well
The Guardians are again being linked to a familiar deadline name as they look for help for a lineup that has gone cold during a losing streak. According to speculation from an insider, Cleveland may be considering a reunion with an outfielder it already knows well, a move that would fit the clubs search for a right-handed bat and some veteran stability as the deadline approaches.
It would also be a reminder of how quickly these summer fixes can come full circle. Cleveland already went this route once, and the idea now is less about splash than fit, with the front office weighing whether a short-term addition can give the order a better balance without costing too much in return. Nothing is confirmed yet, but the possibility alone says plenty about where the Guardians think the roster needs help. [Read more 🡒]