The Cleveland Guardians were quite close to making it to the World Series for the first time in a decade.
Instead, though, they came up two wins short. The Tampa Bay Rays eliminated the Guardians in six games in the ALCS.
The Rays went on to lose the World Series in five games to the Milwaukee Brewers, giving the Brewers their first-ever World Series title — a victory for the Midwest and for small-market ballclubs everywhere.
The MLB offseason has officially arrived with the conclusion of the World Series on Wednesday night.
On Thursday, 144 players across MLB officially became free agents. The Guardians have four players on that list.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
144 Players Become XX(B) Free Agents
➡️ XX(B) Free Agents will be updated daily here: https://t.co/PxfYRZWuOF https://t.co/4LX5aemoJc
— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) October 29, 2026
Guardians Free Agents
Many teams have more free agents than the Guardians, who will have four players hitting the open market with the expiry of their current contracts.
Only one Cleveland pitcher is going to free agency: Foster Griffin. Griffin was acquired in a trade before the deadline from the Washington Nationals, and while his numbers weren’t as good in Cleveland as they were in D.C., he was strong in the playoffs.
Griffin pitched this season on a one-year, $5.5 million contract after returning stateside from Japan. He should get a multi-year deal somewhere in free agency.
The Guardians then have two first basemen both going to free agency. Rhys Hoskins and Nathaniel Lowe have both reached the end of their contracts.
Hoskins contributed some, but not enough, early in the year. Lowe contributed some, but not enough, after coming aboard in a trade from the Cincinnati Reds before the trade deadline.
Lowe and Hoskins both seem likely to end up elsewhere, although if the Guardians would re-sign one, it would probably be Lowe.
The final free agent is the pulse of the clubhouse, Austin Hedges. The veteran catcher has always been a good defender, but it was only this year that he rediscovered his hitting. The Guardians made it a point to re-sign him quickly each of the last two offseasons, but this year they’ve sounded more like a team that will be moving on from him.
Hedges will get an MLB opportunity somewhere as a free agent, but whether it’s back in Cleveland remains to be seen.
Other Guardians Decisions
The two big names that will feature a lot in this Cleveland offseason are Steven Kwan and Jo Adell.
Both outfielders are heading into their last year of salary arbitration, which means both will have their salaries rise and then be free agents after the 2027 season.
With that in mind, both will feel like possible trade candidates, both so Cleveland doesn’t have to pay their price but also to avoid losing them for nothing in free agency at the end of the year.
4 Cleveland Guardians Players Officially MLB Free Agents After World Series