Cleveland Guardians Predicted to Complete Major Trade for AL Slugger

The Cleveland Guardians are being projected to swing a big MLB trade deadline move to acquire this American League slugger.

Jun 18, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt works the crowd before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images | Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

In case you didn't know, the Cleveland Guardians desperately need offense, especially when it comes to their outfield.

Outside of Steven Kwan, the Guardians' offensive production from their outfielder has been nothing short of an unmitigated disaster this season, and while Cleveland has intriguing prospects like Chase DeLauter and C.J. Kayfus that could potentially solve the problem, the team may be better served filling those gaps with proven MLB talents.

That's why Nick Selbe of Sports Illustrated is predicting the Guardians to swing a major trade for Baltimore Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins at the MLB trade deadline.

Mullins is not exactly the best bat around, but he is better than what Cleveland currently offers at two of its three outfield spots. He is slashing .214/.298/.419 with 12 home runs and 35 RBI over 259 plate appearances this season, and he has also added eight stolen bases.

The 30-year-old actually made the All-Star team back in 2021 when he slashed .291/.360/.518 with 30 homers, 37 doubles and 59 RBI while also swiping 30 bags, but he has not come close to matching that production since.

As a matter of fact, Mullins has registered an OPS between .710 and .721 for each of the last four seasons, hitting the .721 mark in back-to-back campaigns in 2022 and 2023. So, at the very least, he has been consistent.

The biggest caveat is that Mullins' defense has plummeted over the last couple of years. As a matter of fact, he lays claim to an absolutely atrocious minus-15 DRS this season, which puts him toward the bottom of the league.

It should also be noted that Mullins is slated to hit free agency next winter, so while Cleveland would have no financial obligation to him beyond 2025, it also seems rather unlikely that the Guardians would part with significant assets to acquire him.

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