Cleveland Legend Wants the Guardians to Add More Bats to Roster Ahead of Postseason

Former Cleveland Indians star Carlos Baerga wants to see the current club add a bit more experience and talent as the end of the 2026 campaign nears.

Apr 15, 1991; Boston, MA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Cleveland Indians third baseman Carlos Baerga at bat against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY NETWORK | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the Cleveland Guardians may be first in the American League Central, not all are confident in where the current team is at.

And one of those individuals who wants to see a few changes before the campaign comes to a close is a former Cleveland standout from the 1990s.

On Friday, July 10, former Cleveland Indians standout second baseman Carlos Baerga shared that he wanted to see the organization make a few moves ahead of the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline.

Appearing on the BIGPLAY Cleveland Live Show, Baerga shared that while the Guardians are currently playing well, they lack postseason experience, something that can break a young team down.

"That's why I say we need one more bat in here because when we get to the playoffs," Baerga said. "You know, we have our rookie guys. They have talent and stuff like that, but in the playoffs, it's a different animal that we are playing against. So you have to go to the war with a little bit of experience, and that's why I'm saying we need somebody like that to help us out, you know, in the last run, in the last part of the year."

"I say we need one more bat in here to get to the playoff." #GuardsBall@baerga99 wants the Guards to add another veteran presence. pic.twitter.com/yJZ9Er1g9J

— BIGPLAY Cleveland (@BIGPLAYcle) July 12, 2026

Baerga played in the big leagues for 14 seasons, eight of which were with the then-Cleveland Indians. During his time in The Land, he posted a 19.7 bWAR, with a slash line of .299/.339/.444 for an OPS of .783. He also smacked 104 home runs and contributed nearly 600 RBI.

Playing in Cleveland from 1990 through 1996, Baerga was able to appear in multiple postseason runs and a World Series effort in 1995.

With that résumé, Baerga's opinion carries significant weight.

The Guardians are coming off a strong weekend where they swept the Miami Marlins, securing a four-game winning streak heading into this year's All-Star Break.

While momentum is high, Baerga is right that the youth on the team will have to get ready for a whole new experience if they are able to end up in the postseason. They may be able to get away with the GuardsBall mentality that they have embraced at times, but having a bit of extra insurance with another veteran added to the mix might be able to balance them out further.

Only time will tell if the Guardians decide to make any blockbuster moves or not, but the deadline isn't too far away.

After the break concludes and the Guardians return to the diamond on Friday, July 17, for a three-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, there will be just five series until the deadline hits.

And if Cleveland really does want to stay in contention for a World Series appearance, they may have to pick up the phone.