The Cleveland Guardians have already made some tough decisions this offseason, but those kept coming on Friday as the organization made multiple decisions ahead of the non-tender deadline. 

Non-Tendered Contracts

The Guardians ultimately declined to tender contracts to three players on Friday night. Will Brennan, Sam Hentges, and Nic Enright have not been given contracts for the 2026 season, making them unrestricted free agents immediately. 

None of these three players returning to Cleveland next season is a huge surprise. Hentges hasn’t pitched in a big-league game since July of 2024, and Enright underwent Tommy John surgery in September and has already been ruled out for the entire 2026 season.

If anything, Brennan being non-tendered is probably the most shocking out of the three, considering he owns a career slash line of .267/.307/.373, and the Guardians need more help in the outfield. That said, the 27-year-old is another left-handed hitter, and Cleveland already has multiple of those in the picture.

Guardians Agree To Contracts With Three Players

Cleveland ultimately agreed to a contract with three players on Friday. Nolan Jones ($2M), David Fry ($1.375), and Matt Festa ($1M) will all have contacts for the 2026 season, as reported by The Athletic’s Zack Meisel.

Fry coming back to Cleveland may look like a shock to those outside of the organization, but considering he was such a valuable piece for the Guardians in 2024 before his elbow injury, the organization is certainly hoping he can return close to that form next. 

Festa may not be an All-Star reliever, but he's a more than serviceable innings eater to have in the bullpen. 

The surprising move for the Guardians here was bringing back Jones for another season. Cleveland already has plenty of left-handed outfielders who need plate appearances to see what their full big-league potential is. 

After Jones registered just a .600 OPS in 355 at-bats last season, many believed he could be a non-tender candidate for the Guardians. However, it appears Cleveland has a plan for him next season.

After all of these moves, the 40-man roster now stands at 38.