The Cleveland Guardians could acquire some help in the infield at the trade deadline.
The Cleveland Guardians are squarely in the fight to win the AL Central, as only one game separates them from the Chicago White Sox.
At 47-44, the Guardians could be buyers at the trade deadline to bolster their roster for a postseason push.
In The Athletic's trade deadline article, Jim Bowden named Washington Nationals infielders Luis Garcia Jr. and Curtis Mead as the best fits for Cleveland.
Garcia Jr. is having a career year, slashing .281/.311/.558 with 19 home runs, 16 doubles, 65 RBIs, 43 runs, and a .869 OPS. Mead is also having the best season of his career, hitting .240/.333/.483 with 15 home runs, 12 doubles, 42 RBIs, 40 runs, and an .817 OPS.
Garcia Jr. and Mead would be major additions for the Guardians lineup around superstar Jose Ramirez. Ramirez is still out with a fractured hamate bone in his left hand, and Cleveland could use more talent in the lineup even when he returns.
Jamie Sabau-Imagn ImagesRamirez was off to a slow start this season, slashing .239/.339/.418 with 10 home runs, 18 doubles, 33 RBIs, 42 runs, and a .757 OPS across 72 games.
They will need him to return to All-Star form, but the Guardians need to add more to have a chance of making a deep playoff run.
While Garcia Jr. and Mead would be good acquisitions for Cleveland, the Washington Nationals have been competitive this season, holding a 47-45 record. This could make them more reluctant to sell at the trade deadline.
Cleveland does have a strong pitching staff, and they could make a deal sending pitchers to Washington.
The Guardians have a talented roster and will look to make a deeper playoff run than they did in 2025, as the Detroit Tigers eliminated them in the Wild Card Round. Ramirez is getting up there in age, and Cleveland needs to maximize the window while he is still in his prime.
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