Should The Guardians Re-Sign Kole Calhoun For 2024?
This season, the Cleveland Guardians made a handful of acquisitions after the trade deadline.
One of these acquisitions was right fielder Kole Calhoun. Cleveland received Calhoun from the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 4th for cash considerations. Upon this transaction, the team signed him to a one-year, $720,000 contract for the rest of the season.
Before joining the Guardians, he had yet to play in a Major League game in 2023, having hit .297 with 69 hits, nine home runs, 46 RBI, 17 doubles, and five triples in 58 Triple-A games for the New York Yankees’ and Dodgers’ affiliates.
In his first month with Cleveland, Calhoun got off to a solid start, hitting .250 with 23 hits, three home runs, 16 RBI, and five doubles in 24 games.
Aug 30, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cleveland Guardians first baseman Kole Calhoun (56) runs the bases on his three-run home run against the Minnesota Twins in the tenth inning at Target Field.
© Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
However, in his final 19 games this season, the recently-turned 36-year-old hit just .169 with 11 hits, three home runs, nine RBI, and two doubles.
From when Calhoun was acquired through the end of the season, he led the Guardians with 25 RBI. Calhoun also ranked among Cleveland hitters in this span in home runs (six, tied for second), total bases (59, tied for fourth), and hits (34, fifth).
In his 12th MLB season, Calhoun provided the Guardians with some clutch moments at the plate late in the year.
He also was a veteran presence in Cleveland’s younger outfield, which consistently featured second-year players Steven Kwan and Will Brennan, along with sixth-year players Myles Straw and Ramón Laureano.
With Calhoun becoming an unrestricted free agent this offseason, the Guardians have a decision to make.
Do they attempt to re-sign him, promote an outfielder from their Minor League ranks, or try to trade for a new outfielder?
Cleveland fans will have to wait and see what happens.
