OK, time for an honest look at where the Guardians are in terms of their roster for 2026. Poepl may not like these assessments, but they are my assessments, nonetheless.
IMPRESSIONS OF THE ROSTER AS IT CURRENTLY IS CONSTRUCTED
1. The roster contains a lot of likely 'dead wood', meaning guys who should be on minor league deals and guys who have underperformed in the past and are on their last chance, which they MUST be given before we can feel good about dumping them for nothing.
2. The roster has lots of guys competing for bullpen spots but very few of them could be counted on in the 8th or 7th innings. To think that Matt Festa is your clear, #1 7th inning guy is scary, given what our pullpen has looked like in the past, when it was the strongest in baseball. You could make the case that 2 things are occurring: (a) the Guardians are trying to be the smartest people in the room by taking failures who have certain attributes they like and turning them into successes that they weren't with their previous teams. That is, essentially, the definition of hubris; (2) while I say this tongue-in-cheek, the bullpen acquisitions they have made look like they are designed to tick off the fanbase and make it hard to get excited about this team. IMO, I think this will likely tick off players who are trying to win (hint: one of those player's names rhymes with Mose A. Ha-Meer-Ez)
3. A trade of position prospects for proven veteran position player(s) is likely the only way we can improve the offense. The FO says they believe in our prospects but I think, instead, it is because they are scared to have another Junior Caminero, Yainer Diaz, etc. blossom for another team. They would rather ride or die with the prospects they have. That might work but the hitting coaching on this team sucks and doing the same thing year after year and expecting different results is the definition of insanity...or a combination of insanity and hubris. So, I would trade for Willson Contreras and Luis Robert Jr. and call it an off-season. I would do this using some of the assets below in addition to players whose playing time they would take. So, for example, I would trade Halpin in a Robert Jr. trade because they play the same position. I would trade Kayfus in a Willson Contreras deal for the same reason.
PLAYERS WHO I THINK SHOULD BE TRADED
CJ Kayfus - IMO, Kayfus is a tweener. He is not fast enough to be a good defensive outfielder and has no base stealing ability. His arm is weak. Yes, you can put him in the OF and he won't kill you there. He doesn't hit for enough power (and never will) to be a first baseman and doesn't hit for enough average that, without power or speed, he can start at either position.
Outdome - I think Kayfus should be used in a trade this off-season, e.g., to obtain Luis Robert, Jr.
Gabriel Arias - Arias is one of those teaser prospects. A guy with one great tool (arm) and a bunch of other tools that you hope, someday, catch up to his arm strength. So far they haven't.
Outcome - I look to trade Arias this winter as part of a package. Bite the bullet, put Rocchio at SS and move on from Arias while he has value
Peyton Pallette - If we need a roster spot, I think we should return Pallette to the White Sox instead of DFAing anyone on the current 40 man.
Nolan Jones - Part of the FO's premise for the 2026 season is to give our young position players who haven't had a chance yet, to play to see how they turn out. Trading Jones opens up more playing time for guys like Valera and DeLauter...and even Halpin, when the opportunity arises.
Outcome - I package Jones in a trade to get another asset that we do need.
NOTE: I would have never signed Holderman or Brogdon or traded for Bruihl so any of the three of them could be traded or released, IMO.
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