The Cleveland Guardians' front office has a lot to do before the MLB trade deadline.
The Cleveland Guardians have one week until the MLB trade deadline.
Even though the team currently owns the final Wild Card spot in the American League, the front office has a lot of work to do to punch its ticket back into the postseason.
With just seven days left before the deadline, here are Cleveland's top three needs, in order.
1. More Offense
The Guardians need more offense; plain and simple.
Taking a look at some numbers, Cleveland has a .230 batting average (30th), a .309 on-base percentage (24th), and a .371 slugging percentage (30th). The Guardians' .680 OPS is the worst in baseball, and their 93 wRC+ ranks 24th in MLB.
Against the Tampa Bay Rays, the top team in the American League, Cleveland only scored three runs in three games.
If the Guardians want to get picky, they could really use another right-handed bat to balance out the lineup that preferably plays the outfield. A Lane Thomas or Taylor Ward would be a perfect fit.
However, given Cleveland's current lineup, it can't be too particular about the defensive fit.
If the Guardians can't improve their lineup, the next two needs may not matter come October.
Jul 21, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana, right, and left fielder Steven Kwan, left, react to the call after Bazzana slid into home during the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images2. Another Bullpen Arm
Statistically, Cleveland still has one of the top bullpens in all of baseball. The bullpen's 3.75 ERA ranks seventh in all of baseball
This is thanks to Cade Smith, who leads MLB with 29 saves; Colin Holderman has been a "blessing" for this group; and Hunter Gaddis is still having a solid season after starting on the injured list.
However, the cracks with the group are starting to show, possibly because of how many one- and two-run games the Guardians have played this season.
The reliever core is thin after Smith, Holderman, and Gaddis. Erik Sabrowski hasn't looked the same since coming back from injury, Shawn Armstrong just landed on the IL, and Tim Herring has been inconsistent at times.
Adding another high-leverage arm would fortify this group and make the bullpen Cleveland's clear strength heading into a potential playoff series.
3. Another Starting Pitcher
The same five pitchers that started the season in Cleveland's rotation are the same five they've used up to this point in the season. Still, the Guardians' 3.75 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP by their starters each rank top-10 in MLB.
The talent of this group isn't necessarily the issue, but the depth should keep Stephen Vogt and Chris Antonetti up at night.
After the core five, Cleveland's starting options consist of Austin Peterson, Logan Allen, and Yorman Gomez at Triple-A.
If the Guardians lose even one starter to an injury, it could change the course of the season.
Even if the Guardians acquire a veteran having a good season at the Minor League level, it would give the team another much-needed starting option for the second half of the year.
