The Guardians will have three of their own in the 2026 All-Star Game, but two familiar faces in the American League starting lineup will still make this one sting.
When Cleveland moved on from Junior Caminero and Ernie Clement in a 10-month stretch between November 2021 and September 2022, both transactions looked like routine roster churn. Caminero was shipped to the Rays for Tobias Myers while still a low-level prospect.
Clement was designated for assignment to clear space for Will Brennan. At the time, neither move felt like the kind that would linger.
That’s changed in a big way.
Caminero is now one of the most dangerous sluggers in baseball, and he’ll be at third base for the American League on the game’s biggest stage. Clement, now with the Blue Jays, is set to handle second base. For Cleveland, that means two players it once let go will be front and center in the Midsummer Classic.
Caminero has become the louder of the two names. He broke through last season with a 45-homer campaign that brought an All-Star selection and a runner-up finish in the Home Run Derby, and he’s taken another step this year with 28 home runs, 59 RBI and a .927 OPS. He also just starred in his second Home Run Derby.
The Guardians’ thinking at the time was understandable. They needed pitching, and José Ramírez already had third base locked down. Tampa Bay took the chance on Caminero, and he turned into far more than a lottery ticket.
Clement’s path was different, but the result is the same from Cleveland’s perspective. He finished the 2022 season with The Athletics, then signed a minor league deal with Toronto before the 2023 season. His first full year with the Blue Jays came in 2024, and he became a star last season after taking on an everyday role and setting an MLB record with 30 hits in the postseason.
That rise carried into this year, where Clement led the American League in All-Star voting. Even with his defense not quite matching what it was in 2025, he’s hitting .296/.318/.433 with eight home runs, 32 RBI and an American League-leading 23 doubles.
The Guardians won’t be empty-handed in the All-Star Game. Parker Messick, Cade Smith and Travis Bazzana are all headed to the Midsummer Classic.
Still, seeing Caminero and Clement in the starting lineup is a reminder of two moves that looked small at the time and look much bigger now. Caminero may never have passed Ramírez in Cleveland, and Clement might be the more natural fit for the kind of player the Guardians usually value: versatile, steady, and built on contact. Even so, watching both of them on that stage will bring a sharp dose of what could have been.
In Other News...
Guardians Rookie Suddenly Running Out Of Time To Lock Down Role
Khalil Watsons first taste of the majors came with the usual rookie growing pains, but the Guardians had reason to be encouraged when he put together a strong nine-game run in late June. For a stretch, the young outfielder looked like he might be settling in and giving Cleveland a real answer in the outfield mix, which matters for a club trying to sort out its everyday options on the fly.
Since the calendar flipped to July, though, the momentum has faded, and the margin for error is getting thinner by the day. Watsons bat has gone quiet enough that his place in the lineup is no longer secure, and if he cannot turn the production back around soon, the Guardians may have to decide whether to keep giving him chances in Cleveland or send him back to the minors for more seasoning. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Face A Tough Call On A Crowded Infielder
Gabriel Arias has been one of the more interesting roster pieces in Cleveland lately, not because of where he was expected to fit long term, but because of how quickly his situation has changed. After working his way back from injury in the minors, the infielder was recently recalled to cover for a teammate, giving the Guardians another look at a player who has spent much of the year trying to reestablish himself.
Now the bigger question is whether Cleveland can keep finding room for him. The infield is getting crowded, and with the trade deadline approaching, a player like Arias could draw attention from clubs looking for help and control beyond this season. For the Guardians, it is the kind of decision that can get complicated fast: hold onto a useful piece and hope the roster sorts itself out, or use his value now while the market is still there. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Cannot Afford This Deadline Gamble With Jos Ramrez Still Unsettled
With the trade deadline still on the horizon, the Guardians are once again in the familiar spot of weighing a short-term push against the longer view. Cleveland has built itself a sturdy prospect pipeline and a core that should keep the club competitive beyond this season, which is exactly why any major swing has to be measured against what it could cost later. The idea of chasing a headline starter is tempting for a team that wants to stay in the mix, but the front office has to keep one eye on the future while Jos Ramrez works his way back into form.
Ramrezs recovery adds another layer to the calculus, because the Guardians do not yet know exactly what they will get when he returns. That uncertainty makes it harder to justify emptying out the farm system for a win-now gamble, especially if the payoff is only a modest upgrade in October odds. Cleveland has enough young talent to keep building around, and the challenge now is resisting the urge to treat one deadline as if it can settle everything. [Read more 🡒]