Cleveland Guardians Named Top Fit For This Breakout All-Star Slugger

The Cleveland Guardians could potentially add a big-time power bat this offseason.

Aug 11, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander (25) smiles as he rund around the bases after he hit a home run during the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports | Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Guardians' biggest need is starting pitching, but they could certainly stand to add some more offense, too.

The Guardians attempted to bolster their lineup at the MLB trade deadline by swinging a deal to acquire Lane Thomas from the Washington Nationals, but it hasn't exactly worked out.

Now, Cleveland will be forced to punt to the offseason if it wants to bring in another bat, and MLB.com's Mark Feinsand sees a potential fit for the club: Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander.

Santander is preparing to hit the free-agent market this offseason, and Feinsand notes that the Orioles may not retain him due to their wealth of outfield talent.

A potential Guardians pursuit of Santander has already been speculated, and given Cleveland's desperate need for another power hitter alongside of Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor, it definitely makes sense.

Santander is kind of a one-dimensional hitter. He doesn't hit for average, and he doesn't walk a whole lot. However, he hits a lot of home runs, which is what the Guardians need.

The 29-year-old is slashing .237/.304/.523 with 37 homers and 82 RBI over 523 plate appearances this season, earning his first career All-Star selection in the process.

Santander broke into the big leagues with Baltimore in 2017 but didn't really start flashing his potential until 2019, when he smashed 20 long balls across 405 trips to the dish.

It then took the Venezuelan native until 2022 to finally crack 30 dingers, but since then, he has been one of the better power bats in baseball and is clearly trending upward.

The question is whether or not the cost-conscious Guardians will be able to outbid other clubs—such as the Philadelphia Phillies—for his services.