Cleveland Guardians Should Embrace The Spotlight After MLB Draft

It has been a wild 2024 for the Cleveland Guardians, and things should only get better for the franchise moving forward.

Jul 4, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38) celebrates his solo home run with manager Stephen Vogt (12) and first baseman Josh Naylor (22) in the third inning against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Guardians have unexpectedly been in the national spotlight this season, thanks to boasting one of baseball's best records and owning the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft.

The Guardians selected Australian second baseman Travis Bazzana with the top pick on Sunday night, which is just their latest move toward baseball's center stage.

Let's just hope it isn't one of the last.

Cleveland finds itself staunchly in World Series contention heading into the All-Star break, laying claim to the American League's best record at 58-37.

But the question is, are the Guardians serious about remaining near the top of the AL moving forward?

Cleveland ranks 27th in the majors in payroll, and while you would never know it from looking at its current record, it is absolutely something that can adversely affect the team in the future..

The Guardians are not known for spending money. They don't make big trades. They don't make major free-agent signings. They have a difficult time retaining their own star players.

This is why Cleveland is frequently in it, but never wins it.

The Guardians have not won a World Series championship since 1948, and while small-market teams have absolutely managed to win titles since then, it is certainly much more arduous to do so when you aren't spending like the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers.

I'm not even saying Cleveland has to be top five in payroll. Not even top 10. The Guardians simply need to make a legitimate effort to improve, which is something they have been allergic to doing for the better part of their history.

For example, Cleveland has not made a truly significant midseason trade since 2016, when it acquired relief pitcher Andrew Miller from the Yankees. Appropriately, the Guardians advanced to the World Series that year, where they ultimately fell to the Chicago Cubs in seven games.

Since then, Cleveland has remained essentially silent at trade deadlines, and with the 2024 trade deadline quickly approaching on July 30, it would be severely disappointing if the Guardians sat on the sidelines again.

People are talking about Cleveland this season. Sure, there is a large faction that still does not quite believe in the Guardians' championship chances in 2024 (heck, count me among that group), but the ballclub is a topic of discussion regardless.

Cleveland should continue to give fans and pundits reason to discuss it.

That means actually making a concerted effort to improve the roster over these next couple of weeks. Clearly, the Guardians are not that far away. You don't just luck into the best record in the American League. There are serious championship-caliber pieces here.

But it's also crystal clear that Cleveland needs help. It desperately needs starting pitching. It could also use another bat or too to buttress a lineup spearheaded by Jose Ramirez, Steven Kwan and Josh Naylor.

And why stop there? Why not build a contender that can be relevant in the major leagues for the next five-plus years?

The Guardians have a terrific front office. They scout well. They draft well. They make shrewd moves here and there to maintain buoyancy in an AL that features behemoths like the aforementioned Yankees.

But they should be tired of just maintaining.

It's time for Cleveland to take the next step and for it to capitalize on its momentum.

The Guardians are so close. It would truly be disappointing if they didn't take full advantage of their opportunity, both for 2024 and for the future.