The Cleveland Guardians are one of the more spending-averse teams in the Major Leagues. While they plan to field a competitive team, they aren't going to spend big.
That's why players like Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, and Bo Bichette are all not likely to come to Cleveland this offseason. Instead, the Guardians are more likely to go after lesser free agents.
ESPN's Jeff Passan linked the Guardians to four non-elite batters who could be nice upgrades for the lineup, while being realistic options for the Guardians this winter. While it's not ideal, these four sluggers wouldn't be bad upgrades for Cleveland this offseason.
Guardians linked to 4 sluggers to upgrade lineup
"They should sign a hitter. Multiple hitters. Any hitter, really," Passan writes. "... And while it won't be Tucker, Bichette, or Bellinger, others without jobs include Eugenio Suarez, Luis Arraez, Harrison Bader, and Marcell Ozuna."
The Guardians won't be signing one of the top names on the market this winter. But, they could go after any one of these four players.
Eugenio Suarez would be a nice third base upgrade, but most importantly, his power presence in the Guardians' lineup, coming off 49 home runs a year ago, would be nice.
Harrison Bader is a speedy defensive outfielder who could be a nice upgrade in center field. He's also coming off the best offensive season in his career, and likely won't cost too much for Cleveland if they want to sign him.
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Marcell Ozuna is a designated hitter who can't play anywhere else. While he's restricted to one spot in the lineup, Ozuna could be a great power bat for the heart of the lineup in Cleveland. They were linked to him at the trade deadline, and could sign him for cheap this winter.
Lastly, Luis Arraez could fill in at first base or designated hitter for the Guardians if he decides to come to Cleveland. He's not a power-hitter and closely resembles Steven Kwan offensively.
While he might not be the most ideal fit, he could pair with Kwan to make one of the more frustrating duos atop the lineup any pitcher will have to face all year. They're not a power-threat, but they would rarely strike out, can put the ball in play, and drive pitchers mad.
Passan wants the Guardians to sign at least one hitter, and any of these four options would make a lot of sense. While some might be better fits than others, all four have a spot on the Guardians roster if they were to make an offer this winter.
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