The Guardians’ 2026 playoff push has been built on a young core that keeps getting louder by the day. Travis Bazzana, Parker Messick, Brayan Rocchio, Gavin Williams, Chase DeLauter, Angel Genao and others are all helping drive that charge, and even Ralphy Velazquez - still in Triple-A but drawing attention because of a possible call-up - fits into that group.
If Cleveland is looking at who belongs in the long-term extension conversation, two names stand out: Gavin Williams and Chase DeLauter.
Williams is the more immediate case. He is getting closer to free agency than Messick, which makes the clock a little more urgent.
The right-hander has posted a 3.98 ERA this season, a solid number without quite reaching elite territory, but his 204 strikeouts tell the bigger story. He has the kind of power stuff that can make him one of the most dominant right-handers in the game, and keeping him in Cleveland beyond 2029 is clearly on the table.
That also means the price tag could rise fast once he moves deeper into arbitration. A creative deal could buy out those three arbitration seasons and add a couple of free-agent years, landing somewhere in the five- or six-year range and keeping him under team control until he is 32 or 33.
DeLauter brings a different kind of appeal. The injury history is real, and it has to be part of the discussion.
But the Guardians do not have many hitters like the left-handed rookie, and the upside is hard to ignore. Entering Saturday, he owned the best wRC+ on the club at 130, and he had already produced 2.7 fWAR in his first big league season.
There is also reason not to overreact to the injury label. A lot of the missed time in DeLauter’s pro career has come from freak accidents rather than anything pointing to a chronic issue with his lower half, shoulder or arm. That matters when weighing how much risk is actually baked into his profile.
At the plate, he has already shown he is well above average, with enough power to put up 13 home runs, 22 doubles and three triples in 472 plate appearances this year. And the power ceiling may be even higher, with the possibility of reaching 25 or even 30 homers.
DeLauter is not eligible for free agency until after the 2031 season, but like Williams, he could become expensive in arbitration. For Cleveland, locking in some cost certainty would make sense. For the player, it could mean securing his financial future for life.
In Other News...
Guardians Legal Crisis Just Raised A Bigger Question For Emmanuel Clase
The legal path for Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz just got a little clearer, even if the broader picture is still anything but. A federal judge in Brooklyn denied the pitchers requests for separate trials in the case tied to an alleged pitch-rigging scheme, leaving the two Guardians players set to be tried together when proceedings begin Nov. 2. Both men have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, and the case now moves forward with the same core allegations in front of one jury.
Clase also picked up a separate victory when the judge rejected the governments bid to disqualify his counsel, preserving his current legal team for the next stage. For Cleveland, the ruling does not answer the larger question hanging over Clases future, but it does shape the road to a November trial that could have major implications for one of the clubs most recognizable pitchers. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Face A Tough September Choice With Former Regulars
Kyle Manzardo and Daniel Schneemann spent part of this season as regulars for the Guardians, but both were sent to Triple-A after the trade deadline arrivals changed the roster picture. Now September brings the usual roster expansion, and Cleveland has two extra spots to work with, which opens the door for at least some familiar faces to return.
The wrinkle is that the club may only choose to add one position player, leaving the final call less straightforward than it first appears. Schneemanns versatility and his recent work in the minors make him a strong candidate to come back, while Manzardos path looks murkier because of the way the current roster is built. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Bazzana May Be Changing One Guardians Concern For Good
Travis Bazzanas defense has been one of the quieter storylines around the Guardians since his promotion to the majors, and it remains an area the club has been watching closely. Even with his overall defensive metrics for the 2026 season still sitting below average, there are signs he has started to turn a long-term concern into something more manageable, thanks to the work he has put in since arriving and the steady progress that has followed.
Recent advanced numbers have pointed in a better direction, with Bazzana posting a positive fielding run value in the latter part of the season. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt has already noticed the difference, crediting Bazzanas effort and the confidence he is beginning to show on defense, which leaves the Guardians with a much more interesting question heading into the next stretch of his development. [Read more 🡒]