Cleveland Guardians Should Pursue Trade For This Former All-Star

The Guardians have a few weeks left to improve their lineup, and swinging a trade for this under-the-radar slugger may be a good idea.

Jun 16, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals outfielder Jesse Winker (6) swings at a pitch during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-USA TODAY Sports / Daniel Kucin Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Guardians are expected to be one of the more active teams in baseball between now and the July 30 MLB trade deadline, and for good reason.

The Guardians own the best record in the American League, so they have a legitimate chance of competing for a World Series this season. The problem is that Cleveland has some significant holes on its roster that could prevent it from making a deep playoff run.

The biggest issue is clearly the starting rotation, which has been discussed ad nauseam. But another sticking point for the Guardians is their offense.

Sure, Cleveland has sent four bats to the All-Star Game, but the vast majority of the club's offensive production has come from those four players (Jose Ramirez, Steven Kwan, Josh Naylor and David Fry). Plus, Fry's production has dipped considerably over the last month-plus.

The fact of the matter is that the Guardians rank a rather pedestrian 12th in OPS this year, indicating that they could use some more pop in their lineup.

Enter Washington Nationals outfielder Jesse Winker, who could very well be on the trade block given the Nationals' struggles in 2024.

There is a lot to like about Winker if you are Cleveland.

Whether it's his .818 OPS, his 2021 All-Star appearance, his $1.5 million salary for 2024 or the fact that the Guardians won't have to pay him after this season (he is preparing to hit free agency), there are a plethora of reasons why Winker makes a perfect trade target for Cleveland. His massive improvement defensively this year (14.0 UZR/150, 1 DRS) is also a major selling point.

Winker probably wouldn't cost a whole lot in return, either. Again, he will essentially be a rental, and he turns 31 years old in August.

Now, is there some risk involved? Sure.

While Winker is slashing an impressive .268/.382/.436 with 10 home runs and 41 RBI this season, he was miserable the preceding two campaigns, posting OPSes of .688 and .567, respectively, in 2022 and 2023.

However, Winker was brilliant with the Cincinnati Reds in 2021, mashing to the tune of a .949 OPS to go along with 24 homers and 71 RBI.

Plus, since entering the majors in 2017, Winker lays claim to a lifetime .265/.371/.443 slash line. He has decent pop and draws a ton of walks, which are two things the Guardians could certainly use (they rank just 17th in walks as a team this year).

On top of all that, Winker is suddenly stealing bases in 2024. After having swiped a grand total of three bags over his first seven big-league campaigns, the former first-round draft pick has accumulated 12 through his first 88 games this season.

It's a contract year, so perhaps that is why Winker is suddenly excelling in areas he once failed (defense and baserunning). But again, the Guardians would have no obligation to him beyond 2024, so if Winker wants to try and cash out this coming offseason and then go back to his old ways with another team in 2025? So be it.

The catch is that Winker has primarily played left field in Washington, but he certainly isn't bumping Kwan from there in Cleveland. Perhaps he could be move to right field, where he would represent a nice upgrade over Will Brennan (who is currently on the IL).

We'll see if the Guardians attempt to make a move for Winker in the coming weeks.