As the MLB trade deadline approaches next week, there are still a lot of scenarios left to unfold around the baseball world.
Rumors have been flying around everywhere, with teams all over gearing up for the stretch run of the season. One of these is the Cleveland Guardians, who are currently fighting for playoff positioning in the American League.
Cleveland sits 1.5 games behind the Chicago White Sox for first place in the AL Central, giving them a battle down the stretch. So if the Guardians can add more to the roster at the trade deadline, it could give them a stronger chance to win.
This team desperately needs to add more offense to the lineup, with Cleveland needing someone to help lengthen the lineup. The Guardians have talent on the team, but they are missing a spark that could come from the trade deadline.
George Springer to the Cleveland Guardians?
One name that could make sense is veteran outfielder George Springer of the Toronto Blue Jays. Springer is in the final year of his $150 million contract with the Blue Jays, and the team is looking to sell at the deadline.
CBS Sports analyst Mike Axisa has predicted that the Guardians will land Springer ahead of the deadline.
“They need any kind of offense. The Guardians rarely swing big at the deadline, and while George Springer is a household name, he’s a platoon guy/lower-level bat at this point, not someone who will cost your firstborn in a trade. That’s more up Cleveland’s alley,” Axisa wrote.
How George Springer Could Help the Guardians
Given that Springer is no longer the slugger that he was in his prime, the cost to land him shouldn’t be too high. But he could be exactly what the Guardians need to help bring more of an offensive attack down the stretch of the season.
Springer knows how to win, having won the World Series title with the Houston Astros in 2017. His experience could be needed for this Guardians team to rely on in different situations.
The veteran still has some pop in his bat, and he’s an electric player out on the field. On the season, Springer has hit .234 with 12 home runs and 34 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .720.
The 36-year-old showed out in the Blue Jays’ run to the World Series last year, and his presence in the Guardians lineup could loom large. Springer hit .284 with 19 hits, four home runs, 10 RBIs, and 14 runs scored in 16 postseason games with Toronto last season.
Springer would be a rental for the Guardians, but given their financial situation, this could play well. Cleveland doesn’t want to take on long-term money, so he could be one of the better fits at the trade deadline.
Since Springer is older, he could take on being the designated hitter for the Guardians. Putting his bat into the Cleveland lineup next to José Ramírez and Chase DeLauter could make this team even scarier.
The Guardians reached the postseason last year, but were bounced out early on in the AL Wild Card round. Adding Springer could give a higher ceiling to this group, giving them a better chance to go on a surprise run this year.
Guardians Predicted to Land Blue Jays Star to Bolster World Series Chances