Cleveland Guardians get called out by national MLB insider for offseason inactivity

Well, this hasn't been the most interesting offseason for the Cleveland Guardians.

And unfortunately, it doesn't look like things will change in the coming weeks prior to the start of the 2026 MLB Spring Training window.

In 2025, the Guardians were able to finish first place in the American League Central, posting an overall record of 88-74, 14 games above .500. That wasn't a mark that the team was expected to hit, let alone surpass, after they lost two of the team's most important pitchers due to an illegal gambling investigation.

On top of that, they had to work their way back from down 15.5 games to secure that first-place spot over the Detroit Tigers. Ultimately, though, they ended up falling to the Tigers in the MLB Postseason, prematurely ending the season.

That's where the questions start to enter the picture.

Why, if the team was barely able to scrape into the postseason, would the front office not try to make a few moves to set them over the bar in 2026?

Well, that sentiment is shared by many in the baseball world. Most notably, MLB Insider Jeff Passan wrote about how Cleveland's strugglesome numbers in 2025 set the stage for them to make a few critical moves this offseason, with a need for hitters more than anything else.

"They've signed four players this winter: backup catcher Austin Hedges and three relievers, Shawn Armstrong, Colin Holderman and Connor Brogdon," Passan wrote. "They return a lineup that ranked 29th in each of the triple-slash categories."

Instead of making a splash, or even just simply boosting the outfield with more experienced or consistent bats, they signed three fairly average relievers. Armstrong's the most exciting of the bunch, posting a 1.5 pWAR with a 2.31 ERA in 2025. Both Holderman and Brogdon are works in progress.

"They should really sign a hitter," Passan wrote. "Multiple hitters. Any hitter, really. Something to give them the shot they deserve to try to win the AL Central for the third consecutive season and fourth time in five years.

"And while it won't be Tucker, Bichette, or Bellinger, others without jobs include Eugenio Suarez, Luis Arraez, Harrison Bader and Marcell Ozuna."

Who's winning the winter -- and who still needs to make big moves to solidify theirs? Free at ESPN: The teams that have conquered this offseason and why paltry future free agent classes make moves for the best players available today imperative for others: https://t.co/JZ0u6YNnJc
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 14, 2026

Guardians options still available

The fortunate thing is that the Guardians still can make this offseason worthwhile. The front office can still build a future that puts José Ramírez in a position to go and win a World Series.

Of the options presented by Passan, the two that fit Cleveland's mold the best are Harrison Bader and Marcell Ozuna.

Bader's spent the past nine years bouncing through teams, including stops with the ST. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds. Most recently, 2025 was with the Twins and Phillies, posting a slashing line of .277/.347/.449 for an OPS of .796.

With the Guardians having one of the worst outfields in the league statistically, Bader would slot in perfectly while the team tries to develop prospects Chase DeLauter, George Valera and C.J. Kayfus.

"The Phillies seem likely to move on because they've already signed Adolis García and are prepared to give top prospect Justin Crawford some runway in either center or left field," Bleacher Report contributor Tim Kelly wrote in a recent article.

In the realm of Ozuna, he's more of a Josh Bell-type signing. He's not gonna bring much to the lineup, especially at the age of 35, other than power. In 13 seasons of pro ball, he's only recorded a slugging mark under .400 three times, marking an impressive streak of consistent power.

In 2025, he hit 19 doubles and 21 home runs for 68 RBIs. Picking him up would also serve as a rental for the Guardians, with less of a commitment to him for the future, with youngsters below him chomping at the bit.

However, these moves are still unlikely due to Cleveland being unwilling to break the bank.

Cleveland's slowly approaching the start of the 2026 MLB Spring Training window, with the team's first battle coming on Saturday, Feb. 21, against the Cincinnati Reds with first pitch set for 3:05 p.m.

It'll be the public's first look at the 2026 Guardians, rather the 2025 Guardians with very few additions at this point in time.