CLEVELAND, Ohio — Once again it did not take Austin Hedges and the Guardians long to agree to bring back the veteran catcher for the 2026 season.
Last year, Hedges, 33, re-signed on Nov. 16. The only thing that prevented a quicker signing was the Guardians’ postseason run that came to an end against the Yankees in the ALCS.
This year the Guardians’ repeated as AL Central champions, but their postseason journey ended on Oct. 2 in a wild card loss to Detroit. Thirteen days later Hedges, a free agent once again, officially signed a one-year, $4 million deal to return to Cleveland.
Since being acquired from San Diego at the deadline in 2020, Hedges has ended five of the last six years in a Cleveland uniform. He spent the 2023 season with the Pirates and Rangers, winning a World Series with the latter.
In four of those years (2020, 2022, 2024 and 2025) that Guardians have made the postseason.
After the Guardians officially announced Hedges’ signing on Wednesday, he talked to reporters via Zoom. Here’s what he had to say on his return to Cleveland, the need for an offensive upgrade, his growing confidence as a hitter and a number of other things:
1. Austin, what made you so eager to return to Cleveland and the Guardians?
A. “In 2023 when I was a free agent, I chased a little bit of a different opportunity. In learning from that, I learned how valuable peace and joy and happiness in a group is. So I told them (Guardians) that this is where I want to be for years moving forward. I want to finish my career in Cleveland, whatever that means. Cleveland is home to me and I want nothing more than to bring a World Series (title) to the people here.”
2. To bring the first World Series title to Cleveland since 1948, do the Guardians need to improve the offense this offseason?
A. “We’ve got to get better offensively, but I don’t think that’s necessarily a different personnel type thing. The group we had in September, coming back to win the division, that showed what we can do offensively. Offensively, I think there are a lot of young guys in that room that started to understand what it means to have a big-league plan and what it means to prepare for 162 games. I love this group coming back. I think we’re in position to go win the division again.
“A lot of these guys have been through two deep playoff runs. Once you’ve experienced that, the next season slows down for you a little bit.”
David Fry, Cleveland Guardians.Diamond Images/Getty Images
3. If David Fry returns healthy next season, how do you see the Guardians’ catching situation with Bo Naylor, Fry and you?
A. “Look back on 2024, the trio (of catchers) we had I thought gave us an unfair advantage because of what we were able to do with David. We could pinch hit, pinch catch, pinch field throughout the game. It was evident that it was more difficult this year because we didn’t have David for half a year (Fry was recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow). When he did comeback, he couldn’t play defense, and losing him for the postseason (hit in the face with a pitch) was devastating for us.
“So, with David coming back next year I think it will put us in a very advantageous position.”
4. What influence did manager Stephen Vogt have on you this year?
A. “His energy and consistency trickles down to everybody. It’s inspiring.
“I remember there was one day in mid-August, he called me into his office because he could tell I wasn’t all the way there that day. The season was overwhelming me. I was at the point where, dude, this is really, really hard.
“Part of me wanted to give up. That’s reality. He calls me in and tells me, ‘I get that, but I need you to go lead anyways. Go do it anyways. That’s what we’re supposed to do as leaders.’ I told him, ‘I got you.’ It was immediately afterward that we want on a run.’”
5. You were such a big fan of closer Emmanuel Clase. Were you disappointed in Clase and Luis Ortiz for being placed on paid leave in July because they were being investigated for gambling?
A. “I feel I can’t even really give you a good enough answer until I get all the facts. (MLB’s investigation, which started in July, is still ongoing). If Emmanuel and Luis are getting screwed over and are completely innocent, I don’t want to be out there saying how disappointed I am. Maybe when we all the information, I’ll be able to process all my emotions.
“I definitely have a lot of feelings because it was such a hard thing to to overcome during the season. We lost one of the best closers in the game and one of our better starting pitchers.”
6. How have the last couple of seasons shaped your thoughts how much longer you want to play?
A. “If you had asked me that halfway through the season, I would have given you a different answer. But there were some things that clicked for me offensively for a little bit more than an entire month. (Hedges, never known for his bat, hit .267 (8 for 30) with two homers and three RBI in September ).
“It wasn’t just a fluky hot week or two. I’m not really doing anything different or crazy, but I made a real big adjustment with my plan. Everything I did the last month of the season had a purpose. It was no accident. I was a really good big-league hitter for a month. Boy, does that feel good for someone who hasn’t been.
“If I feel I’m a valuable asset in the batter’s box, and the league does, I’m going to play this game until I can’t. If the hitting isn’t really there, there’s only so long you can stink at something before you say, ‘that’s enough.’”
Guardians’ right-hander Gavin Williams went 12-5 with a 3.06 ERA in 31 starts in 2025.John Kuntz, cleveland.com
7. Your thoughts on the Guardians’ young rotation, that pitched so well down the stretch?
A. “I couldn’t be anymore proud of them. It was a lot of work starting in spring training with such a young staff that still needed to develop to be ready for the big leagues.
“With our pitching coaches — Carl Willis, Brad Goldberg, Joe Torres and Caleb Longshore — that’s about as good as it gets on the pitching side. The last month and a half of the season, our pitchers just stopped giving up runs. Those were in the games that mattered the most. We were playing playoff games in September.
“Moving into 2026, we’ve got at least a six-man rotation that I’m confident can go out and meet anybody in the league. And that list might be even deeper than that right now.”
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