The Cleveland Guardians’ magical run of 2016 seems like ages ago. Most Cleveland fans still haven’t been able to recover from the devastating fact that they came oh-so-close but blew a 3-1 series lead in the World Series. Even after 2016, the Guardians were loaded with one of the most potent rosters in all of baseball, yet they never made it past the ALDS. Now here we are in 2022, six years removed from a Guardians World Series and 73 years since the Guardians raised a World Series Title, the longest current World Series drought in the MLB. Barring any type of setbacks with the current MLB lockout, the Guardians head into the 2022 season with potential. Headlined by phenoms Jose Ramirez, and Shane Bieber, the Guardians are just a few pieces away from contention again. Here’s a look at who the Cleveland Guardians should be heavily interested in once free agency resumes.
Outfielder Nicholas Castellanos
The Guardians are notoriously known for not spending any money in the off-season; because of this the owner of the Guardians (Larry Dolan) has claimed the name “Dolans Discounts”. If Dolan was to unexpectedly change his ways, there is no other way to go than signing one of the best hitters in all of baseball, Nicholas Castellanos. The Guardians have an obvious need in the outfield; nothing is for certain besides center fielder Myles Straw. In 2021, the outfielders for the Guardians at year’s end were Bradley Zimmer, Harold Ramirez, Oscar Mercado, and Myles Straw. Those four combined for a whopping .248 average, .323 OBP, and a .700 OPS. Now compare those stats to Castellanos alone, and you get a .309 average, .362 OBP, .939 OPS, 34 HR, and 100 RBI’s. Adding Castellanos to the middle of the order with Jose Ramirez, and Franmil Reyes would be lethal. That monstrous trio would give Cleveland a legitimate shot at postseason dreams in 2022.
Utility Infielder Jonathan Villar
The Guardians have a big need at second base after trading away Cesar Hernandez at the deadline in 2021. There are multiple directions they could take filling the position in 2022. They could continue what they were doing and roll out a Yu Chang/Andres Gimenez combo like at the end of 2021. This had glimpses of promise but in the end, was a flop. Secondly, they take the need to free agency and explore the many options there. If the Guardians do decide to tackle this need in free agency a name that sticks out is Jonathan Villar. Villar had a slash line (AVG, OBP, and SLG) of .249/.322/.416 in 2021 as well as playing solid defense. He played all around the diamond in 2021, playing 97 games at third base, 26 games at shortstop, and 9 games at second base, in which he averaged a .966 fielding percentage. Villar would immediately provide a little pop and utility to a lineup that sorely needs it.
Relief Pitcher Archie Bradley
With the Guardians potentially losing three bullpen arms this off-season (Blake Parker, Nick Wittgren, and Bryan Shaw) they will need to fill those gaps and fill them efficiently. The Guardians bullpen was one of the few bright spots for the team in 2021. Finishing as the sixth-best bullpen in the league with a 3.64 team ERA. An arm who could provide a big boost to a depleted group is seven-year veteran, Archie Bradley. Bradley is coming off a solid season where he posted a 3.71 ERA, 40 punchouts, a 1.43 WHIP, and 22 walks in 51 innings of work. It is yet to be seen if the Guardians will be spenders with the current MLB lockout still ongoing. Assuming they do spend, Bradley could prove to be the guy to help run back the team’s 2021 bullpen success.
Relief Pitcher Andrew Miller
Most Cleveland fans will tell you that when the Dolans do decide to shell out money, it’s in laughable ways. Time and time again, signing past their prime veterans who the team hopes can have a resurgence year. In 2019 it was Oliver Perez and Hanley Ramirez. The following year it was Domingo Santana, and finally, in 2021, it was Bryan Shaw. It is a recipe that, shockingly enough, does not pan out. Not to say there haven’t been some exceptions as Bryan Shaw pitched very efficiently last year. Looking ahead at this year thirty-six-year-old Andrew Miller seems to be a prime candidate for the motto. At least if they did go this route, all Cleveland fans love Andrew Miller. He did so much for the team during his tenure in Cleveland from mid-season 2016 to 2019. He had one of the most dominant seasons a man can have in the 2016 postseason. Absolutely dealing, posting an absurd 1.40 ERA, striking out 31 of 57 batters faced, and not allowing a single run in the postseason until late in the World Series. Fast forward to 2021 and Miller had a pedestrian year, pitching to a 4.75 ERA, 40 strikeouts, and a 1.58 WHIP in 36 innings of work. Even though Miller is almost certainly past his prime, he gave his all to Cleveland when rostered. He would absolutely be welcomed back home with open arms.
Outfielder Tommy Pham
As referred to above, the Dolans never spend big bucks, the rare time being the signing of Edwin Encarnacion back in 2017. To think confidently that the Guardians will have a shot at signing Nicholas Castellanos is incredibly bold, to put it mildly. The more realistic options are guys you have to dig deep for, essentially leftovers. Enter 2021 San Diego Padre, Tommy Pham. Pham, a .265 career hitter, is 33 years old and has fallen off dramatically the past two seasons. Injuries plagued Pham’s 2020 season and seemed to have derailed his career. From 2017 to 2019, Pham never hit below .273 and posted solid numbers year in and out. In 2020, Pham was only able to play in 31 games and as a result, hit .211 that year. The follow-up year was not much better for Pham. He stayed healthy, and played 155 games in 2021, but lacked contributions, hitting a putrid .229. These are the types of players the Dolans target, players fans are accustomed to. This is why the Guardians outfield has been a mess since the departure of Michael Brantley. Nobody should expect that to change in 2022 unless there are some massive changes on the way or an angel in the minors.
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