Cleveland Guardians Predicted To Trade For Intriguing Outfielder

The Cleveland Guardians are being projected to swing a deal for an experienced outfielder before the MLB trade deadline.

Jul 19, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Tommy Pham (28) celebrates after hitting a double against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

All has been quiet on the Cleveland Guardians' front with the MLB trade deadline quickly approaching, but it may not stay that way.

The Guardians are expected to make a move for a starting pitcher and potentially a bat before Tuesday's deadline expires, and Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com is predicting that they will land Chicago White Sox pitcher Erick Fedde (which we have heard before) as well as White Sox outfielder Tommy Pham.

Castrovince doesn't specify if Cleveland will trade for both Chicago players in a package deal.

Pham isn't exactly having the best year of his career, as he is slashing .266/.330/.380 with five home runs and 19 RBI over 297 plate appearances.

However, the 36-year-old has an established track record of being a pretty valuable piece.

Pham is just one season removed from posting a very respectable .774 OPS with 16 homers and 68 RBI while splitting time between the New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks.

He owns a career .259/.349/.431 slash line and has also been a terrific hitter in the postseason, slashing .313/.333/.513 with six long balls across 120 trips to the dish.

The Guardians' offense ranks 13th in runs scored and 15th in OPS this year, so Cleveland could absolutely use some pop offensively.

Pham wouldn't necessarily be a major upgrade, but he would actually boast the fifth-best OPS on the team and would represent a more reliable option than Tyler Freeman and Will Brennan.

The major downside to Pham is that he is no longer a capable glove in the outfield, so he would probably have to spend a lot of time as the club's designated hitter.