The Cleveland Guardians have (finally) found their right-handed power bat after a clear void on the roster for the last few seasons. 

The organization announced on Monday that it signed Rhys Hoskins to a Minor League deal for 2026, with a path to making the big-league roster at some point during the season, possibly as early as Opening Day.

With the veteran’s addition, there are a few members of the Guardians roster who will be affected. 

After the Hoskins signing, CJ Kayfys will need to earn a spot on Cleveland’s Opening Day roster, and it won’t be easy. 

Before the recent addition, Kayfus and Kyle Manzardo looked to be Cleveland’s 1B/DH tandem to start the season. However, Manzardo is one of the team’s best hitters and needs to be in the lineup one way or another, and Hoskins’ right-handed bat and power track record should earn him a spot there, too. 

Sure, Kayufs can play some outfield. However, that position group is already extremely crowded with Chase DeLauter, George Valera, Nolan Jones, Angel Martinez, Petey Halpin, and Johnathan Rodriguez all competing for limited spots.

Kayfus will need to prove to the Guardians that they can’t afford to have his bat in the lineup after Hoskins’ arrival in Cleveland. Even with that, the rookie may start the season at Triple-A.

Kyle Manzardo isn’t at risk of starting the season in the Minors with the Hoskins signing, but it does put pressure on him to perform against left-handed 

The consensus is still out on whether Manzardo can be an everyday player or if he’s better off as a platoon bat, primarily against right-handed pitching. In 2025, he had an OPS of .790 against righties, but just .672 against lefties.

The Guardians should give him a chance to prove he can hit southpaws, but if those struggles continue, Hoskins and David Fry could become Cleveland’s go-to 1B/DH options off lefties as the season continues. 

Stuart Fairchild had a clear path to Cleveland’s Opening Day roster at the start of Spring Training. He represented another right-handed hitting option for the Guardians, who desperately needed more balance in their lineup.

However, Cleveland now has the balance with Hoskins, who has historically been a much better hitter against both righties and lefties than Fairchild has been. 

Fairchild’s chances of making the roster coming out of camp have significantly dropped with Hoskins’ arrival. It’s not impossible, especially if an injury occurs in the outfield. But on roster makeup alone, the Guardians have filled the void that Fairchild would’ve addressed. 

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