In six days, MLB\u2019s free agent season will commence – whom might the Cleveland Guardians target?<\/p>\n
Baseball analysts have begun to release their free agent lists with salary projections, so that gives us a chance to eye up the options and see what might potentially make sense for Cleveland, should they decide to do their usual and make some frugal investments to increase their roster floor. Obviously, no one here is going to object if the Guardians shock the world and sign a Cody Bellinger, a Kyle Schwarber or a Pete Alonso. However, having no legitimate reason to suspect the Dolans have been visited by three Merry Free Agency Spirits last night, we know we should more reasonably look at the bottom of free agent lists and the most reasonably available options to be found there.<\/p>\n
First, Baseball America\u2019s top 50 free agent list<\/a>. Here, we find two names that make the most sense to me:<\/p>\n -Ryan O\u2019Hearn, LHH 1B\/RF\/DH – 3 years, $45 million Analysis: O\u2019Hearn for THREE years seems less likely than O\u2019Hearn for two years, but this is likely still a good value for his production and I think you can reasonably expect him to be a solid cleanup hitter for the next two years. Bader at $20 million a year feels quite steep, but I think that reflects how few ACTUAL centerfielders are available. If his price falls or he ends up looking more at one-year deals, I think the Guardians could be content with him mashing lefties and catching everything in sight while offering a little bit of an attitude edge out there.<\/p>\n Next, MLB Trade Rumors\u2019 top 50 free agent list<\/a>.<\/p>\n -Brad Keller, RHrP, 3 years, $36 million Analysis: Again, O\u2019Hearn, Kim and Bader make a lot of sense to me at those numbers, but there are lot of reasonably available relievers here, also, should the Guardians be willing to go 2-3 years on a deal.<\/p>\n Next Tim Britton of the Athletic offered some free agent contract projections<\/a>. Here, there are a few more values that make sense to me for the Guardians, if Britton\u2019s projections prove accurate:<\/p>\n Ryan O\u2019Hearn, LHH 1B\/RF\/DH – 2 years, $36 million Analysis: For me, these reliever projections are very inexpensive. If you see these quality of relievers falling into 1-year contract territory, don\u2019t be surprised to see the Guardians make their one, big, offseason splurge to snag one of them. Other than that, I think Britton may be underestimating how much legitimate centerfield defenders who can hit a little bit will make, but I could see the Guardians playing in the Grisham or Bader markets at these prices, allowing them to not attempt to put Chase DeLauter\u2019s health at risk by asking him to play centerfield almost full-time. And, don\u2019t dismiss the possibility that the team pursues a second baseman on a 1-2 year deal, pushing Bazzana\u2019s timeline back a little. I don\u2019t think they\u2019d do Torres for 3 years, and Polanco is so bad defensively at second that you\u2019d probably need to see if he can move to first – but they are names to keep an eye on. O\u2019Hearn\u2019s and Hoskins\u2019 numbers here would make a lot of sense for the Guardians should they like either of those players as the guy to split time with Manzardo between first and DH.<\/p>\n
-Harrison Bader, RHH CF – 2 years, $40 million<\/p>\n
-Ha-seong Kim, RHH 2B\/SS, 2 years, $30 million
-Ryan O\u2019Hearn, LHH 1B\/RF\/DH, 2 years, $26 million
-Harrison Bader, RHH, CF, 2 years, $26 million
-Ryan Helsley, RHrP, 2 years, $24 million
-Gleyber Torres, RHH, 1 year, $22 million
-Luke Weaver, RHrP, 2 years, $18 million
-Pete Fairbanks, RHrP, 2 years, $18 million<\/p>\n
Trent Grisham, LHH CF – 3 years, $54 million
Ha-seong Kim, RHH 2B\/SS – 3 years, $50 million
Gleyber Torres, RHH 2B – 3 years, $48 million
Jorge Polanco, SH 2B\/DH – 2 years, $35 million
Harrison Bader, RHH CF – 2 years, $32 million
Brad Keller, RHrP – 2 years, $30 million
Michael Kopech, RHrP – 2 years, $22 million
Devin Williams, RHrP – 1 year, $18 million
Ryan Helsley, RHrP – 1 year, $16 million
Rhys Hoskins, RHH 1B\/DH – 1 year, $10 million<\/p>\n