Debating the Cleveland Guardians' Biggest Need at the Trade Deadline
With the trade deadline quickly approaching, the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians have a chance to potentially enhance the already-talented roster.
But the debate for the primary position that Cleveland needs to address is beginning to heat up. While many believe that starting pitching will be the most important roster spot to fix, the recent offensive dry spell leaves fans desiring another experienced hitter to help contribute.
Looking at the Guardians' starting rotation, here is where the team stands as of right now (order based on depth chart, not an actual ranking):
1. Gavin Williams (N/A)
2. Tanner Bibee (7-2, 3.47 ERA)
3. Logan Allen (8-3, 5.72 ERA)
4. Carlos Carrasco (3-6, 5.27 ERA)
5. Ben Lively (7-4, 3.03 ERA)
Others: Matthew Boyd (15-day IR), Triston McKenzie (optioned to Triple-A)
Out for season: Shane Bieber
If it weren't for McKenzie's rough stretch through the month of June (1-2, 9.11 ERA), the need for another pitcher would not be heavily considered. However, the Guardians currently have three reliable arms in their starting rotation, depending on how Williams returns from injury. Allen's 8-3 record can be quite deceptive, as the lefty's run support has been a main factor in his eight wins this season.
Newly-acquired Matthew Boyd was a solid addition to the team in order to eat up innings, but the 33-year-old arm is not the answer come the postseason.
A combination of Bibee, Lively and Williams could win some ballgames for Cleveland, but the addition of a fourth arm could solidify the pitching depth for the Guardians for the rest of the season. Ultimately, a new arm could also relieve McKenzie of pitching in Cleveland for the remainder of the year if he does not find his groove while in Columbus.
The recent series against the Kansas City Royals also exposed another flaw to the Guardians' lineup: the lack of offensive depth outside the core three bats.
Steven Kwan, Jose Ramirez, and Josh Naylor have been the primary bats for Cleveland this season, and the team has relied on them to spark the rest of the lineup. But when these three are not leading the charge, the rest of the offense struggles to produce.
Looking at the three games against the Royals, it's clear that the Guardians are successful when the trio is doing well at the plate. Here are the combined splits of Kwan, Ramirez, and Naylor against Kansas City:
First two games (0-2, three runs in total): 4-for-22, 1 RBI, 1 HR
Last game (1-0, seven runs in total): 6-for-14, 4 RBI, 1 HR
Obviously, Bibee had another outstanding start in the 7-2 victory, but it shows the Guardians need another offensive catalyst to help the squad sustain the offensive production for the rest of the season.
David Fry, while batting .383 in the month of May, has cooled off. The righty power bat hit .250 in June while totaling 17 strikeouts. Daniel Schneemann has been a pleasant surprise for Cleveland so far, but has struggled in his last six starts, going 3-for-17. Meanwhile, the middle infield duo of Andres Gimenez and Bryan Rocchio have been hot and cold this season.
Adding one more consistent bat to the lineup would greatly improve the offense while also taking pressure off the Guardians' young talent to pick up the top of the lineup.
In an ideal world, Cleveland would make multiple moves to acquire a starting pitcher and another bat. The team has the first overall pick in this year's draft and a ton of prospects within the middle infield and outfield, which means it could move some prospects in order to address both needs.
But the answer may come down to the market. There are a plethora of starting pitchers that have been swirling around in trade rumors, while there has been little talk of offensive bats potentially being traded. It would be easier to acquire a starting pitcher, so that could likely be the route the Guardians would take in a possible trade scenario.
DYLAN FELTOVICH