The Cleveland Guardians didn't waste any time bringing back a guy who is, on paper, one of the worst hitters in baseball.
The Guardians have reached agreement on a $4 million, one-year contract with Austin Hedges, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.
This is the same deal Hedges has signed with Cleveland in each of the two previous offseasons.
Hedges, for lack of a better way of putting it, is very much a vibes guy for the Guardians.
He only hit .161 this past season, even worse than his career average of .185.
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The Guardians rely on Hedges to be a great clubhouse presence and a solid defender when they play him.
Cleveland doesn't need Hedges to actually play all that much these days. Bo Naylor has taken over the starting catching duties for the Guardians.
Naylor closed this past season strong, which means the Guardians are likely totally content to go into the season ahead with the same Naylor/Hedges combination that they've been working with.
The Guardians only had three players who were set to be free agents this offseason. The right-handed reliever Jakob Junis and outfielder Lane Thomas are set to hit the market, as well, although maybe Cleveland will work quickly to bring one or both of them back in the same way they just did with Hedges.
Cleveland is coming off an epic close to the season that saw the Guardians snatch the AL Central title from the Detroit Tigers, only to then be knocked out of the postseason by those same Tigers.
The Guardians will be hoping Hedges brings those same vibes back for the 2026 season.
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