UPDATED: Taking Stock of the Guardians’ Remaining Trade Options as the Deadline Approaches
An article sure to be outdated in a matter of hours
As we approach Tuesday’s 6PM EST trade deadline, what options appear to be realistically available for the Guardians to pursue?
First, I am not including Garrett Crochet, Tarik Skubal or Brent Rooker because, while I believe each player is available, I don’t see any way the Guardians will pay the acquisition cost for any of them. Skubal should be available because of being eight years out from his Tommy John surgery, but I don’t know if anyone will meet Detroit’s (deserved) high asking price. And the White Sox will absolutely gouge Cleveland in a Crochet deal and we all know Oakland and Cleveland don’t match up well for trades from hard, past experience. I also am not including more expensive options such as Kevin Gausman, Nathan Eovaldi, Chris Bassitt and Blake Snell given Zack Meisel of the Athletic’s report that the team isn’t taking on a player due $20 million in 2025. I see it’s been rumored Snell won’t pick up his player option for 2025, but unless the Guardians had some kind of guarantee of that, I can’t see them acquiring him. I also didn’t include Luis Rengifo because I simply don’t like the hitting profile. So, I’m sure they are going to trade for him, now.
Anyway, that leaves us with something like:
1. Jack Flaherty, RHP, Detroit - A rental, Flaherty is a front of the rotation starter. Yes, there is risk in trading with an up-and-coming division rival. It’s a risk I’d take to be able to roll with Flaherty in a playoff series.
2. Erick Fedde, RHP, Chicago White Sox - Under cheap team control through 2025 and performing like a top 25 starting pitcher in MLB, Fedde checks all the boxes. The only problem is that he plays for a division rival. Might Chicago’s asking price become more reasonable as the deadline closes in? I suspect that’s Cleveland’s hope, and may be a reason they haven’t unloaded any of their resources on other deals yet.
3. Brandon Lowe, 2B, Tampa Bay - Under control through 2024 (about $4M remaining) with club options for $10.5M and $11.5M in 2025 and 2026 respectively, Lowe has a 150 wRC+ this season and is playing an adequate second base. IF, and this is a big if, IF Cleveland is willing to move Gimenez to shortstop midseason, this move solves a lot of issues. And, leaves the team flexibility to move on from Lowe when Travis Bazzana is assumedly ready to play second in the bigs (probably 2026 if you get Lowe). Lowe has a career 106 wRC+ vs LHP so he’s not a platoon player.
4. Taylor Ward, OF, Los Angeles Angels - Long the white whale for me and several other Covering the Corner commenters, Ward is a lefty crusher running his highest barrel rate of his career who can be put in right field without embarrassing you. He’s arbitration eligible through 2026. Really, he fits in so many different ways. His wRC+ right now is only 99 but his xwOBA is .351 and both Steamer and ZiPS have his as a 115 wRC+ guy for the rest of the season.
5. Jose Soriano, RHP, Los Angeles Angels - Soriano is the least likely to get traded on this list since he is 25 and under team control through 2025. But, with his innings limits coming up (he threw 42 last year and has 97 so far this year) and only running a 4.04 FIP, I think it’s possible. I believe Cleveland can easily maximize his pitch mix and his 58.8% groundball rate plays incredibly well with their good infield defense. But, this would definitely be a play for the future.
6. Tanner Scott, LHP, Miami Marlins - I want a starting pitcher, but if the Guardians pivot to an available reliever, Scott has a 1.18 ERA and as a rental reliever, he would make the Guardians’ best bullpen in baseball even more otherworldly. If you get Hentges back, the Herrin, Hentges, Barlow, Smith, Gaddis and Clase collection could give you the opportunity to only ask three or four innings from your starting pitcher in playoff games when needed.
7. Ryan Feltner, RHP, Colorado Rockies - Rumors are that the Rockies are open to trading Feltner who is under team control for another six years as a 27 year old. His 4.04 xFIP is interesting and an 8.04 K/9 in Colorado seems like it could be maximized to more in Cleveland under the watchful eye of Carl Willis. He’s also a Buckeye.
8. Yandy Diaz, 1B/DH, Tampa Bay - Under contract for about $14M from now through 2025 with a club option of $12M in 2026, Diaz is a reliable lefty masher who can handle hitting as a DH (115 wRC+ for his career). Many of us would also welcome his return after envying his reliable production in Tampa. The problem is the positional fit long-term as Diaz isn’t playing outfield. If acquired, I think this would be a sign the Guardians are moving on from Josh Naylor this offseason. And, as much as I love Naylz, his injury issues may make that an inevitable outcome eventually. So, if the team gets Diaz, it’s Diaz and Naylz through 2024 (with Manzardo as a backup if Naylz gets hurt), and then Manzardo and Diaz for 2025 with Josh Naylor moving in an offseason trade.
9. Yusei Kikuchi, LHP, Toronto - A rental for around $6M this season, Kikuchi has a 3.64 FIP which sounds amazing for a #3 starter. He’s definitely going to move before Tuesday at 6PM. It’s just a matter of if Cleveland will be the high bidder and if he ends up as their top priority. Kikuchi has had some difficult starts lately, but he has generally been good late in the year.
10. Reid Detmers, LHP, Los Angeles Angels - I will not mince words. I would be incredibly excited to see the Guardians acquire Detmers because I am absolutely convinced they would maximize his assets to make him a dominant force in the rotation for years to come. It’s been rumored the Angels are willing to move Detmers, but I doubt they are doing so on much of a discount despite his 6.14 ERA. They’ll point to his 10 K/9 and 3.66 xERA and the fact he is 25 and under cheap team control through 2027. This one feels unlikely but I’d (perhaps irrationally) be as excited if they got Detmers as anyone else on this list.
11. Lane Thomas, OF, Washington Nationals - Thomas is a certified lefty masher. He has a 142 wRC+ against LHP for his career and an 88 wRC+ vs RHP. He’s under arbitration control this season and next. He’s 28 so still under 30. He’s a poor defender in right field. If the Guardians acquired Thomas, I’d look forward to the reliable production against LHP in RF and assume Noel is going to start at 1B against LHP mostly. But, it’s a platoon bat and not as exciting as the bats I’ve got listed above him here in my opinion.
12. Nick Martinez, RHP, Cincinnati Reds - Martinez was moved to the pen where he is often a multi-inning reliever and has been very effective in that role. But, he did his fair share of starting earlier this year and had a 4.04 FIP. Can he be stretched out to a 4-5 inning starting role? Maybe combined with a Tanner Scott move? He is owed about $7M for this season and has a player option for $12M for 2025, so there is some financial liability here. Martinez, interestingly enough, has a career low groundball rate this year. I wonder if asked to try to get more groundballs with Cleveland’s excellent infield defense if it could make him more of a viable option to stretch out as a starter and be a solid #3, especially with the Cleveland bullpen to back him up.
13. Jonathan India, 2B, Cincinnati Reds - Arbitration eligible through 2026, India has a 115 wRC+ and has hit LHP as a right-handed hitter at a 110 wRC+ pace in his career. He’s, by all accounts, a great clubhouse guy. He is, however, the kind of contact over power guy the team already has more than enough of and would force Gimenez to move to short (not sure at all the Guardians would be willing to do that).
14. Dylan Floro, RHP, Washington Nationals - A rental reliever with a 2.61 FIP, Floro would be a great addition to the best bullpen in baseball but I’d only be content if it is accompanied by at least a Taylor Ward or Brandon Lowe trade.
15. Cal Quantrill, RHP, Colorado Rockies - Quantrill absolutely destroyed Reese McGuire the other day which makes me want to bring him back as a rental innings eater and vibes guy. If you can’t do anything else, Chris Antonetti, do this.
So, maybe the Guardians land one of these guys. Or maybe they don’t make a move and everyone is happy except reply guys who have said they won’t make a move who will be able to take a victory lap. Time will tell!