The Guardians’ decision-makers are down in Orlando, Fla., this week with the rest of the baseball industry for the Winter Meetings, an annual event that ignites the Hot Stove with trades and free-agent deals.
For Cleveland’s brass, some of the most important meetings taking place thus far have been internal.
With the Meetings having officially kicked off on Monday, the Guardians have been deliberating how to best deploy at-bats in 2026.
Specifically, those conversations center on the opportunities they want to give to up-and-coming players next season, as well as the potential to augment a lineup that struggled in '25 with external acquisitions.
"We have a lot of players we want to give runway to and allow them to take the opportunity and help build on the experiences that they had from last year,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “That was the group of guys that were here, and even another wave of guys that have not yet had those opportunities at the Major League level.
"The thing we're balancing -- especially on the position-player side -- is whoever we bring in, what opportunities does that take away from the group that we have? We spent, like, three hours on that this morning, really talking through, ‘OK, if we bring this guy in, who's not going to play?’”
It’s no secret that it could make a lot of sense for the Guardians to acquire a proven hitter (or two) this winter. Cleveland ranked 28th in the Majors in runs per game last season (3.97), ahead of only the Rockies and Pirates.
Alternatively, the Guardians have maintained all offseason how -- with any potential acquisition -- they will stay mindful of their young position players, whether it’s those who have already reached the Majors or those on the cusp.
There’s a push-and-pull element between the need to bolster their offensive production and the opportunity cost that adding someone to the mix could have on the young guys’ playing time, as well as their chance to continue developing in the Majors.
As Cleveland explores its options, the focus with any potential addition is on which complementary skills it could add alongside the up-and-comers.
"What we want to look to do is build on the group that we have,” Antonetti said.
The open market comes with its own level of uncertainty, though there of course is variance in the performance of young players as they break into the big leagues. One area that could make sense to add a complementary piece is the outfield, where Cleveland compiled a .629 OPS in 2025 (last in MLB).
The Guardians have around a dozen outfielders on their 40-man roster, headlined by All-Star left fielder Steven Kwan. They’re specifically heavy on left-handed hitters, certainly among the young talent.
Chase DeLauter (Cleveland’s No. 2 prospect and No. 58 overall by MLB Pipeline) will receive reps in center and right field and get a long look in Spring Training. He made his MLB debut in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series after experiencing a few injury setbacks on his path to the Majors following his selection in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
C.J. Kayfus, George Valera, Nolan Jones and the right-handed-hitting Jhonkensy Noel are among other right-field options.
Cleveland is also confident in Kayfus at first base, and it is hopeful that Jones -- with a full offseason working with the organization -- could get back closer to his 2023 form with Colorado after he had a tough 2025 (.600 OPS).
The Guardians also gained a fourth Minor League option on both Valera and Juan Brito, who is fully healthy after he had an injury-riddled 2025 and is playing Winter Ball in the Dominican Republic. Brito will compete for a spot in Spring Training and can play second and first base -- and potentially the outfield.
One area the Guardians are looking to add to is their bullpen. They already signed right-hander Connor Brogdon to a one-year deal last week, but are still a bit light down there. Half of their relievers from the end of last season are no longer with the organization.
Jakob Junis, Kolby Allard and Nic Enright are free agents, and the Cardinals claimed Zak Kent off waivers on Friday.
Antonetti also noted the Guardians have to plan as if they will not have closer Emmanuel Clase and starter Luis Ortiz, each of whom went on non-disciplinary paid leave in July amid ongoing MLB investigations and was federally indicted last month.
"We don't have as many options [in the bullpen] as we'd like to have,” Antonetti said. “It's a very different situation than the position-player side.”
Anthony Castrovince contributed to this report from Orlando.