New Lineup Prediction Has Guardians Add Free Agent Outfielder

The Cleveland Guardians' biggest unknowns remain in the right field and at second base. As Spring Training gets closer and closer, it's still anybody's guess as to who will be starting at these positions heading into Opening Day.

Joe Reuter of Bleacher Report recently projected every team's Opening Day lineup and predicted Cleveland's first lineup of the year to look like this:

LF Steven Kwan
DH Kyle Manzardo
3B José Ramírez
1B Carlos Santana
RF Randal Grichuk
CF Lane Thomas
C Bo Naylor
2B Juan Brito
SS Brayan Rocchio

Barring any unforeseen injuries or shocking roster moves, this seems like a safe guess as to what the Guardians could play against the Kansas City Royals on March 28.

The biggest surprise here comes in right field, as Reuter is predicting the Guardians to add free-agent outfielder Randal Grichuk before the season starts.

Cleveland has already added two former Arizona Diamondbacks players this offseason (Slade Cecconi and Paul Sewald), so why not add one more before Opening Day?

Mar 11, 2024; Goodyear, Arizona, USA; Overall view of Goodyear Ballpark during the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Cleveland Guardians during a spring training game. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Grichuk would be a great addition to the Guardians and would make a lot of sense in their current lineup.

He played in 106 games last season and posted a .291/.348/.528 slash line with a .876 OPS, including 20 doubles and 12 home runs. Cleveland desperately needs more offensive production from its outfield group, and Grichuk clearly provides just that.

The veteran especially excelled against left-handed pitching but was still near league average against righties, too. If the Guardians are serious about making a meaningful upgrade before the start of the season, Grichuk is an obvious option to add.

The other key takeaway is that Rueter's projection at second base followed the Andres Gimenez trade. Gabriel Arias and Juan Brito will likely battle for the position.

While Arias could currently have the upper hand, it really is a toss-up between these two until Spring Training begins, providing Stephen Vogt and the front office with a better sample size.

Reuter likes Brito to start the year there, but Arias could very well end up their too.

Fans will get a better idea about what potential lineups could looks like once Spring Training games officially start on February 22.