Cleveland Guardians' Biggest Trade Deadline Need is Obvious
The Cleveland Guardians must find a way to improve their lineup, and the trade deadline is their best chance at doing so.
Video Transcript
The MLB trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and as the Cleveland Guardians assess where they're at at this point in the season, what they need to do at the deadline is very obvious.
And that's address the lineup, add another proven hitter to this lineup, maybe even two.
Entering Monday night's action, the Guardians ranked thirtieth in OPS.
They ranked thirtieth in runs scored, twenty-seventh in home runs, and twenty-third in weighted runs created plus.
No matter how good the pitching staff is, the starting rotation, the bullpen, and the Guardians do have a very good rotation and a, a bullpen that has potential as well, that lineup is not gonna succeed in October if the Guardians even make it that far.
Because obviously, when it comes down to the playoffs, that big swing, being able to get a home run and maybe not as much manufacturing runs is incredibly important.
And right now, the Guardians simply just don't have that on their roster.
Now yes, Jos Ramrez coming back certainly should help that, and he's someone who in the past has been able to maybe not lead a lineup, especially when the lineup is where it is right now.
But provide that necessary boost and maybe give a little bit more protection to players around him, like Chase DeLauter, like Travis Mazana, and Brian Rocchio, who's really having an emergent season as well.
But the Guardians can't also rely solely on Ramrez to do just that, because even before he got injured and was placed on the IL, he wasn't maybe necessarily having the best season of his career either.
He had an OPS just over seven hundred before landing on the IL in the middle of June.
So while Ramrez does seem like he's getting closer and closer to making a return, it's definitely something that the Guardians ne-- can't rely on to help them get out of this rut that they're in.
Hopefully, as the Guardians get closer to the deadline, they'll make a move or two and add a bat.
Some names that immediately jump to mind to me, Taylor Ward of the Baltimore Orioles, right-handed hitting outfielder Isaac Paredes of the Houston Astros.
The defensive fit might be a little bit awkward, but he would certainly be a much needed, boost on the right side of the lineup as well.
Maybe even someone like Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jorge Soler could be someone the Guardians go after as well.
They have the prospect capital to do it, and I think it's something the Guardians need and must consider making that move before the deadline on August third.
