The Cleveland Guardians still have work to do as the trade deadline approaches, and the lineup remains the clearest place to hunt for help. One name that fits the bill is San Francisco Giants utility man Casey Schmitt.
Schmitt has been a steady offensive piece since reaching the majors in 2023, and his production has held up since the start of the 2024 season. This year has been his best yet.
Through 2026, he’s hitting .272/.303/.489 with 21 home runs and 17 doubles. He doesn’t draw many walks and does chase outside the zone, but the bat has still done enough damage to stand out.
The fit gets even better when you look at Cleveland’s roster. Schmitt is a right-handed hitter, and the Guardians need more balance in their lineup.
His .792 OPS this season would rank second on the team among qualified players, behind only Chase DeLauter’s .801 OPS. Against left-handed pitching, he has been especially dangerous, putting up a .320/.337/.500 line.
That kind of production could give Cleveland another middle-of-the-order option, with a case to be made for Schmitt hitting cleanup right away.
He also solves a lot of the defensive and roster-construction questions that come with deadline trades. Schmitt has played second base, third base, shortstop, first base, and left field since debuting, so the Guardians wouldn’t be locked into one spot. A first base and right field role would make sense, and manager Stephen Vogt values that kind of flexibility.
There’s also a familiar connection between the two clubs. Cleveland and San Francisco already completed one trade this season, with the Guardians acquiring catcher Patrick Bailey back in May. That kind of front-office relationship can matter in late July.
It’s still unclear exactly what Cleveland will do, but Chris Antonetti said the team will try to improve. Pursuing Schmitt would be one straightforward way to do it.
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