The Cleveland Guardians have multiple candidates to be named first-time All-Stars next season.
Jose Ramirez will always be a candidate to represent the Cleveland Guardians in the All-Star Game, but the team does have a few players who have a real chance to play in their first Midsummer Classic next year.
Here are three members of the Guardians who have a shot to be first-time All-Stars during the 2026 season.
Gavin Williams
If Gavin Williams starts 2026 the way he ended 2025, he might not only earn himself a spot on the American League, but could be competing for the honor of being the starter. Maybe the latter is a little dramatic, but Williams does have a great chance of being an All-Star next season.
The right-hander had a 2.18 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP after the Midsummer Classic last season. Williams also saw his strikeout rate jump from 23.8 percent to 24.6 percent last season.
Williams is truly in line for a breakout season in 2026, and with that, could easily be named an All-Star for the first time in his career.
Sep 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Gavin Williams (32) reacts after a strikeout on a check swing Detroit Tigers first base Spencer Torkelson (not pictured) in the sixth inning during game one of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn ImagesCade Smith
Honestly, it’s a little surprising that Cade Smith hasn’t been named an All-Star yet since his debut in 2024. Through his first two big-league seasons, the reliever owns a 2.42 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. Smith’s 103 strikeouts from a year ago even finished top-three in the league.
Perhaps Cade hasn’t earned an All-Star nod yet because he wasn’t Cleveland’s closer, that is, until Emmanuel Clase was placed on leave last July.
With Smith in line to be Cleveland’s ninth-inning arm in 2026, next season could finally be the year he makes an All-Star team.
Kyle Manzardo
There was a lot of good from Kyle Manzardo in 2025, such as his 27 home runs and .768 OPS. However, there were some clear areas for improvement, too.
The sluggers struggled with consistency; their best season was in July, when they logged a .936 OPS, but Mazardo’s worst was in May, when they had a .621 OPS. That’s quite a drastic range.
Manzardo certainly has the skill set to be an All-Star-caliber player, but consistency remains his biggest hurdle. That said, if he can find some stability in the batter’s box, there could be an argument for a spot on the American League All-Star roster next July.