The Marlins may be lining up as Cleveland’s most practical trade partner, and two names keep surfacing for the Guardians: right-hander Braxton Garrett and outfielder Kyle Stowers.
Miami already made one move earlier today, sending catcher Liam Hicks to the Rays for three prospects, but the possibility of more dealing remains. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported that Cleveland has shown interest in Garrett, who has spent most of the season in Triple-A. Earlier in the week, The Athletic linked the Guardians to Stowers as well, making it look like Miami could offer help on both the pitching and lineup fronts.
Garrett stands out because Cleveland still needs arm depth in a bad way. The Guardians have gotten by using just five starters this season outside of Logan Allen’s one start in a doubleheader, and they’re one injury away from being in trouble.
Garrett, a first-round pick by the Marlins in 2016, broke through in 2023 with a 3.66 ERA across 159 2/3 innings. His 2024 season was wiped down to just seven starts, one of them a shutout, before a UCL tear ended his year and cost him 2025.
This season, he has appeared in two big league games and has allowed seven runs in 4 1/3 innings.
Jackson also noted that one reason Garrett has not been in the majors much this year is that he did not make some of the arsenal changes Miami wanted. That makes Cleveland an interesting landing spot.
The Guardians have one of baseball’s best pitching factories, and Garrett might be more willing to embrace a fresh approach there. If they did land him, he could slide in as a swingman first, then move into the rotation if injuries hit or if Slade Cecconi’s inconsistency continues to drag on the back end.
At the top of the rotation, Gavin Williams, Parker Messick, Tanner Bibee and Tanner Bibee are clearly locked in, but Cecconi’s uneven work has been a problem. Allen remains Cleveland’s top minor league depth arm, though he has already shown the type of pitcher he is.
Stowers would address a different need: more pop. Cleveland already improved its outfield earlier today with the trade for Jo Adell, and Stowers would add another power bat to the mix.
He’s coming off an All-Star season last year, but he has still posted an OPS+ of 117 with 16 home runs. He has also spent time at first base this year, making 39 appearances there, which would give the Guardians flexibility to move him between a corner outfield spot and first depending on matchups.
Stowers bats left-handed, but that fits more cleanly now with Adell in the picture.
In Other News...
Guardians Trade Regret Just Got Even Harder To Ignore
The latest reminder of how the Alex Cobb deal has played out for Cleveland came from San Francisco, where the Giants promoted a young player who had quietly become part of the return in that trade. The move filled a need behind the plate after Jess Rodrguez landed on the injured list, but it also brought fresh attention to a swap that has not offered the Guardians much immediate benefit.
Cobb arrived in Cleveland with the expectation that he could help stabilize the rotation, yet injuries limited his availability and kept his impact modest. Meanwhile, the player the Giants just elevated has continued to build a strong minor league track record, which only sharpens the contrast between what San Francisco is getting from the deal and what Cleveland has been able to count on so far. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Paid A Real Price To Strengthen Their Rotation
The Guardians kept their most prized young talent intact, but they still had to pay up to shore up a rotation that already looks formidable. Their latest move brought in a left-handed pitcher with an All-Star nod and a 2.77 ERA before the deal, adding another experienced arm to a staff that has become one of the clubs real strengths.
To get it done, Cleveland sent four prospects to Washington, including pitchers Will Dion, Josh Hartle and Kendeglys Virguez, plus outfielder Nick Mitchell. It was the kind of prospect package that says the Guardians were serious about upgrading now, even if it stopped short of touching the top of the organizations farm system. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Finally Found The Right-Handed Bat This Lineup Needed
The Guardians spent the winter looking for a better fit on the right side of the plate, and they found one in Jo Adell. Cleveland brought in the right-handed hitting outfielder from the Angels in a move aimed squarely at adding some much-needed thump to a lineup that has wanted more home run power, especially against left-handed pitching.
For the Guardians, it also comes at a time when the roster has been built with an eye toward keeping options open beyond this season. Adell brings the kind of pop that can change the shape of a game, and the price tag speaks to Clevelands belief that this is the sort of swing worth making. Now the interesting part is how quickly the bat can translate into everyday value in a lineup that has been searching for exactly this kind of offense. [Read more 🡒]