The Cleveland Guardians’ deadline problem is the same one that’s been hanging around all season: they need more thump, and they need more production from the outfield.
That part shouldn’t shock anybody. Steven Kwan’s struggles this year may not have been easy to forecast, but the bigger issue was always there. Cleveland has been short on power and short on consistent output across the outfield, and that puts the trade deadline on a pretty obvious track if the club wants to make a real upgrade.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan pointed to two outfield targets in a new piece Thursday, starting with what he called the “best match” for the Guardians: Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak.
"Moniak, the former No. 1 pick who is one of two players in MLB this year with at least 200 plate appearances and a slugging percentage of .600 or better," Passan writes. "The other? Yordan Alvarez, the AL MVP favorite."
Passan also floated a tougher but more intriguing possibility in Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell.
"The Rockies aren't certain to move Moniak; he has another year of club control," Passan writes. "Similarly, the Brewers aren't shopping Mitchell. With Luis Lara's promotion, though, they've now got a center fielder under long-term contract, and with Milwaukee's depth in the outfield -- Lara, Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, plus Jett Williams and Josh Adamczewski nearly big league-ready -- Cleveland has a good enough farm system to tempt the Brewers into moving Mitchell."
Of course, this is the Guardians, so the possibility still exists that they bypass the market and lean on players already at Triple-A who could help them right now. That would fit their usual deadline style.
But if Cleveland does decide to deal, the path is easy to see. The need is obvious, and the names are already out there.
In Other News...
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Brewers Draft Haul Comes With One Concerning Twist Fans Should Note
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Milwaukees haul still gives it plenty of chances to find another impact player, but the shape of the class is not quite as clean as it first appears. The Brewers are working without the extra cushion of a supplemental-round selection after moving that pick in a recent deal with Boston, a reminder that every draft asset matters for a team built around development and value. [Read more 🡒]
Jake Bauers Sparks Another Brewers Win Over Cardinals Before The Break
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Milwaukee took four of five from St. Louis and has continued to stack wins as the All-Star break approaches, a stretch that has kept the club moving in the right direction even with the grind of the schedule. The Brewers have handled the first part of their longest road trip of the season well, and Bauers night was another reminder of how much little plays and timely power have mattered in that run. [Read more 🡒]