Guardians Earn Strong Standing In Way-Too-Early 2025 Power Rankings

ESPN ranked the Cleveland Guardians as the fifth-best team in MLB in their 'Way-Too-Early' 2025 power rankings.

Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez (11), left, and shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) celebrates 7-3 win over Detroit Tigers at Game 5 of ALDS at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The dust has settled on the 2024 MLB season for both the Cleveland Guardians and World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. It's never too early to start looking toward the 2025 season and how the current rosters stack up with one another.

ESPN released their Way-Too-Warly 2025 Power Rankings, and the Guardians are ranked as the fifth-best team in baseball heading into the season. This obviously makes them favorites to win the American League Central, and the Baltimore Orioles barely beat them at number four.

Here's what ESPN's David Schoenfield has to say about the Guardians heading into next year:

"The 2025 Guardians are going to look similar to the team that reached the ALCS: bullpen, defense and Jose Ramirez. As always, they're going to try to jam a 90-win team into a 70-win payroll. Re-signing Matthew Boyd would be a relatively cheap option for the rotation, but Josh Naylor might be trade bait entering his final season before free agency. The bullpen probably gives the Guardians an 80-win floor, although it will be difficult to repeat 2024's regular-season performance. If top prospects Travis Bazzana and Chase DeLauter click, they could make an impact in the second half, and since Cleveland has the youngest group of position players in the majors, you can pencil in some general improvement across the board for the lineup."

Oct 12, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas (8) celebrates with first base David Fry (6) and outfielder Steven Kwan (38) in the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigers during game five of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

As Schoenfield details, Cleveland certainly has the potential to be one of MLB's top five teams next season. However, it's not as simple as saying that Cleveland can expect development from its young core to fuel another postseason run next year and hoping Boyd re-signs with the team.

The Guardians still have massive questions about their starting rotation and the outfield position group, and the offense could use another upgrade with a proven big-league bat.

Cleveland could be a top-two seed in the AL next season, but they still need to make moves this offseason to solidify that position.