A Quick Look at Where The Guardians Roster Is Heading Into 2026 - Part 3 - Who Should Be Added To/Dumped From The Current Roster

 We are now starting the beefing up and weeding out process for our roster.  So let's dive in:

WHO SHOULD WE BE ADDING?

 Marcell Ozuna - This, like many others, is dependent on the cost.  Ozuna is truly a DH but is a RHH with proven production.  He is the jolt this lineup needs and the protection that will help maximize Jose Ramirez's production.  Plus, he moves Manzardo out of the #4 hole into the #5 or 6 slot, which would be more appropriate to his skill set.

Luis Robert Jr. - The only trade on my list, I doubt this gets done as the White Sox are positioning themselves for a better result in 2026 AND they appear to hate trading fairly with the Guardians. Still, I don't feel like DeLauter can hold up in CF (picture a Mr. Glass version of Grady Sizemore).  Robert Jr. might also be a clubhouse distraction but a lineup of Kwan, DeLauter, Ramirez, Ozuna, Robert Jr., Manzardo, Naylor, Martinez (2B) and Rocchio would look pretty good compared to the last 2 years. 

Veteran FA SP - This is just a placeholder as the Guardians need depth.  I think it was Zach Meisel who posted that the Guardians had used an average of 12.5 SP per season for the last 4 years.  We are not even close to that and I would like to see a rotation that has Cecconi @ #4 and Cantillo (out of options) @ #5.  So any of Miles Mikolas, Nestor Cortes, Zach Littell or Lucas Giolito, whoever is the cheap and gives us the best bang for our buck, is who I am targeting.  But, whoever it is, we need one more veteran SP.

WHO WE SHOULD BE REMOVING

Connor Brogdon - I know we can't trade Brogdon but, if we need the roster space, he is 1A of the guys who need to be DFA'd. With the signing of Armstrong and Avila and maybe adding a SP to push Logan Allen to RP and maybe Cecconi, too, and the guys at AAA (Espino, Walters and Aleman) we have enough RP depth.

Colin Holderman - 1B on my list of RP to get rid of if we need the roster space, Holderman was another bad decision by the FO.  Not that he and Brogdon would have been bad minor league FA signings but taking up a 40-man spot seems like a foolish waste of resources for a team that needs to be adding ML quality resources in the midst of a roster crunch. 

Gabriel Arias - Here is the first tradeable asset that we should remove from the roster (via trade only) IF and ONLY IF we need a roster spot.  Right now Arias, on my depth chart, is the backup SS and you can't, in January, dump your first option if something happens to Rocchio.

Nolan Jones - I see no role for Jones in 2026. If we go young we have enough guys to throw out in RF.  I just don't see a way for him to get PT unless he suddenly reverts back to 2023 form and I don't see that happening.  While it's great to have a bunch of guys in ST who compete for positions with the best man winning, (a) that never happens with the Guardians because they believe in spring desert mirages and (b) it, to me, is more important to have roster flexibility than to have competition, which is generally generated through MiLB free agent signings with invitations to ST than through redundant players on the 40-man.  So I could even see them, if the rules allow it, for them to DFA Jones this winter if someone who is a better fit comes along.

SUMMARY

So, like the extension candidates, the lists above are short.  Will the Guardians do anything? I am not sure. But I think there are some fits that make this team better and help keep their collective heads above water until the trade deadline.