2026 Guardians Preview: Unheralded Roster Could Be Threat
If it was not too long-winded to fit on a t-shirt or hooded sweatshirt, “underestimate us at your own risk” might be an appropriate slogan to describe the Cleveland Guardians in many seasons.
Starting with former manager Terry Francona’s first season in the dugout, the Guardians were a playoff team in eight of the previous 13 seasons since 2013. In that span, Cleveland has never finished worse than 76-86 in a full season and seems to churn out pitcher after pitcher while Jose Ramirez leads an offense that gets enough done.
It happened again last season in manager Stephen Vogt ’s second season.
Cleveland was eight games under .500 on July 6 and 15 1/2 games behind the Tigers in the AL Central. In spite of those low odds, the Guardians went 48-26 the rest of the way and overtook the Tigers by the final day.
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Although the magic ran out in the wild-card series against the Tigers, whom Cleveland beat in 2024, it was among the more memorable comebacks and a subtle reminder about underestimating this team until proven otherwise.
Still, there are legitimate questions after Cleveland’s 643 runs were the third-worst in the majors and the lowest by a playoff team in a full season since the 2014 Cardinals scored 619 runs.
The Guardians know they will get standout numbers from Ramirez and may even get the third baseman’s fourth 30-30 season. Ramirez has missed only 19 games in the past five seasons and stole a combined 85 bases in 99 attempts over the past two seasons.
Kwan reliably puts the ball in play and can be counted on to hit around .275, possibly higher, while also getting on base at about a 33% rate. Kwan is also making the move to center field as CJ Kayfus moves to left field and top prospect Chase DeLauter gets a chance in right field.
Pitching-wise, the Guardians continue to churn out young pitchers and boast a rotation of pitchers in their age-27 seasons or younger. Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams are the best of the bunch as the duo combined for 24 wins and 335 strikeouts.
After Emmanuel Clase and starter Luis Ortiz were implicated in a gambling saga still ongoing, the Guardians primarily used Cade Smith to close things out, and he will do so again after saving 16 games.
On paper, Cleveland’s roster may show it is not enough. In reality, they find a way and may do so again as they figure out how to navigate the AL Central.
Guardians additions for 2026
Rhys Hoskins is the biggest import of a quiet offseason, and he will make the team to potentially provide more power for a team that hit 168 homers. Hoskins batted .223 with 38 homers in two seasons with the Brewers, though he missed 90 games with a sprained thumb.
Hoskins will provide support for a lineup with Kyle Manzardo coming off hitting 27 homers. DeLauter is getting his first taste of MLB action after hitting .459 in spring training, and some are projecting him to be Cleveland’s first real power threat in the outfield in the past decade.
The Guardians signed a trio of relievers to one-year deals by adding Shawn Armstrong , Colin Holderman , and Connor Brogdon .
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Guardians subtractions for 2026
The Guardians did not bring back Lane Thomas and non-tendered Will Brennan , along with longtime reliever Sam Hentges , and lost outfielder Jhonkensy Noel on waivers.
Best-Case Scenario for Fans
The youthful rotation rises to the occasion even further, though Mets fans might prefer to avoid seeing Williams no-hitting them into the ninth inning. The offense improves thanks to DeLauter’s arrival, which results in a Rookie of the Year award. Improvement from Manzardo, along with Bo Naylor continuing his late-season surge, supports the steady performances of Ramirez and Kwan.
Worst-Case Scenario for Fans
The youthful rotation regresses, and the offense struggles again. The woes result in the Guardians never seriously getting into playoff contention while also trading Kwan at the deadline.
Guardians prediction
Kwan and Ramirez get a little more help, but the pitching keeps them in games; not enough offense leaves them a few games short in the wild-card race.
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This story was originally published by Lindys Sports on Mar 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Lindys Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
