CLEVELAND -- The Guardians roster is a massive jigsaw puzzle with a few missing pieces. Because the team made very few moves prior to the lockout, Cleveland now has its hands full to get its roster ready for Opening Day.

The 40-man roster consists of 12 starting pitching options (if Sam Hentges is considered a starter) with just five relievers. And there are 14 infielders, with 10 of them primarily playing up the middle.

This roster -- as it stands -- is far from being Opening Day ready. So let’s take a look at four questions the Guardians have left to answer over the next few weeks:

1. How will Cleveland improve its outfield?
The outfield has been Cleveland’s biggest headache for the last few years. The team did find an answer in center field at last year’s Trade Deadline, securing Myles Straw. Now, the attention turns toward the corners.

The team has expressed hope that Oscar Mercado will return to his rookie season groove or that Bradley Zimmer would be able to get himself back on the successful path that he had established early in his career prior to a plethora of injuries. That hasn’t happened. Because the 40-man roster is full, it seems more likely that the team would address this need via trade than a free-agent signing.

The first name that comes to many Guardians fans’ minds is Bryan Reynolds from the Pirates. While he’d arguably be a perfect fit in Northeast Ohio, Pittsburgh doesn’t have a need to trade him just yet. So in order to get a deal done, the price will be sky high and probably out of Cleveland’s comfort zone.

Someone who would still be a great pickup but may be slightly more attainable would be Jesse Winker from Cincinnati. His red-hot All-Star campaign in 2021 that consisted of a .305 average, a .949 OPS, 24 homers, 71 RBIs and 32 doubles was limited to just 110 games due to a strain in his ribs. And with the uncertainty at shortstop for Cincinnati, Cleveland may be able to put together an intriguing offer.

Other names that could be decent matches for the Guardians and require even less of return could be Austin Meadows from Tampa Bay (.234/.315/.458 slash line in 2021) or Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from Toronto (.276/.319/.466 slash line in ’21). 

2. Who will man the middle-infield spots?
And here’s why the Guardians could easily make a trade with a team looking for middle-infield talent. As we’ve already noted, 10 of the 14 infielders on the 40-man roster primarily play up the middle. Cleveland skipper Terry Francona said earlier this offseason that shortstop belongs to Amed Rosario after his stellar 2021 season. Assuming Rosario isn’t traded, he’ll likely get the first shot at short, leaving second base open for a battle in Spring Training.

Andrés Giménez still stands as the favorite to play second, but Gabriel Arias has given every indication that he’s ready for a big league opportunity. Yu Chang and Owen Miller will have to compete to earn their infield spots, while Ernie Clement will likely shift into more of a utility role if he’d make the Opening Day roster.

That still leaves Tyler Freeman, Richie Palacios (though he’ll probably be more of an outfield option for Cleveland moving forward), Brayan Rocchio and José Tena as middle infielders on the 40-man. Needless to say, they have some wiggle room to make a trade or two.

3. What’s the fate of José Ramírez?
Ramírez is signed through this season, which means the only question left for this offseason are whether he’ll be extended or traded. Extension talks will surely occur in the early weeks of Spring Training, but it’s difficult to know how the lockout affected any of the team’s plans for negotiating prior to Opening Day.

The biggest takeaway at this point is that all signs seem to be pointing toward Ramírez remaining with Cleveland -- he does, after all, have an affordable team option for 2023. The team wants to prove that it’s not in a rebuilding phase and is ready to contend again, and to do so, they’ll need their superstar third baseman. Whether he’s traded at some point, signed to a multiyear extension or stays via the club option remains to be seen. But for now, Ramírez in Cleveland for 2022 seems like a safe bet.

4. What’s the plan with all the young talent on the 40-man and who is most likely to make it to the big leagues?
The Guardians added an unprecedented number of prospects to their 40-man roster, which meant releasing seven players to make room for 11 up-and-comers who may still have another year or two until they reach the big leagues. That likely means a trade will occur to at least free up a few spots on the 40-man roster.

However, there were plenty of reasons to add each of those 11 names, and a handful of them may make their way to the Majors this year. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Arias get a chance to prove that his slick defense, .284 average and .802 OPS from Triple-A would translate to the big stage. And maybe Rocchio and Freeman don’t crack their way into the big leagues just yet, but their track records should be more than enough to cause the team to hold on to them and exclude the pair from any possible trades.

Surely, Bryan Lavastida will see some time behind the plate this year and Cody Morris may be the next young starting pitcher to dazzle in the big leagues despite his lack of experience. And while George Valera may need another year of Minor League experience before he’s tried at the Major League level, it wouldn’t be surprising if his numbers cause fans to cross their fingers that he’ll get a midseason callup.