Would A Lane Thomas Trade Make Sense For The Guardians?

The Cleveland Guardians should off on trading Lane Thomas this offseason.

Aug 23, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas (8) reacts after striking out during the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians have already made some tough decisions this off-season. One of those choices is trading fan-favoring infielder Andres Gimenez to the Toronto Blue Jays.

The front office could still face more difficult decisions, as two critical players are still appearing in trade rumors around MLB.

One of those players is playoff hero Lane Thomas, who will enter his final season of team control in 2025. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported earlier this month that the Guardians could be open to trading Thomas in the right deal.

But would a Thomas trade even make sense for Cleveland?

At this point in the offseason, no, it wouldn't.

Unlike some scenarios in a possible Josh Naylor trade, it's hard to see any deal involving Thomas helping make the Guardians a better team in 2025.

While Cleveland has plenty of options to replace Naylor at first base, there are still questions about what the outfield will look like next year, even with Thomas on the roster.

Yes, the Guardians saw Thomas at his best and worst in the two months he spent with the team following the trade deadline.

He went through one of his worst stretches at the plate upon his arrival in Cleveland, where he posted a batting average of .143 in August.

However, Thomas found his groove in September, finishing with a .855 OPS in the season's final month. That production continued in the postseason with two clutch home runs, both in the ALDS.

Sep 11, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cleveland Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas (8) hits a two-run single against the Chicago White Sox during the third inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

If the Guardians want to compete for the World Series in 2025, they will need all the help they can get on offense.

Outside of Steven Kwan, the outfield position group has been relatively disappointing with their bats, and they need another everyday player in either center or right field.

Even with his questionable defense, Thomas could fill that void for the Guardians during a full season.

It's hard to envision a better version of Cleveland's roster without Thomas unless he is just one piece in a much larger blockbuster trade that nets Cleveland a superstar outfielder.

Due to their lack of outfield depth and need for more offensive production, the Guardians are better off not trading Thomas. Instead, they should play out his final year of team control, even if that means he may leave for nothing in free agency next year.