Guardians Veterans Share Thoughts On Andres Gimenez Trade

Shane Bieber and Austin Hedges open up about the Cleveland Guardians trading Andres Gimenez.

Jun 28, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez (0) throws to first base during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images

Many Cleveland Guardians fans were confused when the news broke on December 10, 2024, that Andres Gimenez had been traded to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Only two and a half years ago, he signed the second-largest contract in franchise history and appeared to be a cornerstone for the roster's future.

Fans weren't the only ones who were shocked by the trade.

Austin Hedges and Shane Bieber appeared on The Rose Rotation Podcast and shared their initial reactions to the trade.

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Austin Hedges

"Anytime you lose a brother that's been with you for a while, obviously, including how important he was to the clubhouse and the city, that's tough. Just reading the trade rumors at first were difficult. I know Shane and I were getting bombarded with texts and calls. Just, guys were confused and didn't know what was happening," said Hedges.

"But you know, we're all big boys, and we know that this is a business, and it's only a business. It sucks, but it's not like this is any of our first rodeo when it comes to this. We've all had best friends that were released, cut, traded, treated poorly. At least, this is a business deal -- I know all of us hope nothing but the best for [Gimenez]; I know he's going to thrive."

Hedges continued, "Obviously, we needed some starting pitching, and we got a really, really talented young arm in that. From a business perspective, it's all good. But that doesn't mean it's not difficult to lose a brother in the clubhouse."

Jul 9, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) and catcher Cam Gallagher (35) look to the scoreboard during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Shane Bieber

Bieber echoed similar thoughts that Hedges had on the trade.

"It's really difficult. I texted [Gimenez] right away. Like Hedges said ... it's part of the business. Yeah, that guy saved me a ton of runs. We're going to miss him as a teammate, as a bat, as a defender. But like Hedges said, it's a business and you've got to move on."

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These responses show exactly why Hedges and Bieber are two well-respected leaders in the clubhouse.

Yes, it's difficult to lose a player who's been a piece of the core of the last few seasons, but at the end of the day, Major League Baseball is business, and sometimes tough decisions have to be made.

It can be hard for a young clubhouse, which Cleveland has, to understand this. However, Hedges and Bieber can help them work through that.

It will be weird for fans and players to not see Gimenez at second base in 2025, but this trade was made hopefully to make the Guardians a better team next season.