This past season, the Cleveland Guardians had a roller coaster-like season, and inevitably finished the season one game above the Chicago White Sox, for first place in the AL Central.

The Guardians, in postseason action, defeated the White Sox in the ALDS and fell to the Tampa Bay Rays in six games in the American League Championship Series.

The Guardians, before the 2026 Trade Deadline, had been only one game above .500, with a record of 56-55, but this past season, Cleveland did something they weren't known to do in previous seasons, or at least something that doesn't happen often.

Since the trade deadline, the Guardians improved their record a bit, holding a record of 29-22 (.569 win percentage), while also acquiring talent like Jo Adell, Nathaniel Lowe and Foster Griffin.

Why The Cleveland Guardians Should Get Aggressive This Offseason

The 2026 Cleveland Guardians season offered plenty of trials and tribulations along the way. In one game back in mid-June, while facing the Detroit Tigers, three key contributors — Jose Ramirez, Chase DeLauter and Angel Martinez — all left the game early due to injuries.

For the Cleveland Guardians, Ramirez was missed while out with a hamate bone injury, holding a record of 15-15 while Ramirez was out of action. Ramirez did make his return to the lineup nearly a month after surgery, but the beloved Cleveland third baseman never seemed to find his stride.

With Ramirez returning to the lineup for the Guardians, he hit .229, had 47 hits, 2 home runs, 20 RBIs, and 29 runs scored in 53 games. On the season as a whole, he hit .235/.320/.368, 111 hits, 12 home runs, 53 RBIs, and 71 runs scored in 125 games.

With Ramirez not making his sixth All-Star Game appearance, the Guardians needed other contributors throughout the lineup to help lead the team to success, along with another postseason appearance. Some of the key contributors for the Guardians before the deadline were Martinez and DeLauter.

In his rookie year, DeLauter led the team in batting average (.287) and also led the team in batting average during the postseason as well (.310). DeLauter had 133 games played and hit .287/.363/.457, 142 hits, 16 home runs, 67 RBIs, and 62 runs scored

Martinez led the Cleveland Guardians in the home run department with 18 home runs ( Adell only hit 7 with Cleveland) while playing in 114 games, as he missed six weeks of action due to a left foot injury. Martinez hit .254/.290/.465, 99 hits, 62 RBIs, and 49 runs scored.

With Ramirez not being 100% following the hamate bone injury, Cleveland had to have other players throughout the lineup contributing to get the team to the ALCS. With rookies getting an opportunity in the big leagues for the first time this past season, like Travis Bazzana, DeLauter and Petey Halpin, another top prospect awaits his debut, possibly in 2027: Ralphy Velazquez.

Two Pitching Phenoms Rising??

If the fact that Ramirez didn't have his best season in several years, and the fact that this young core has shown flashes to contribute at key times in the lineup, if there aren't any reasons to be aggressive this offseason, the next reasons have to be Gavin Williams and Parker Messick.

During the ALDS and ALCS, the Cleveland Guardians saw the emergence of Messick, gaining valuable postseason experience, and Williams hitting another gear as a pitcher.

Messick made 32 starts during the regular season, holding a record of 12-9, 2.56 ERA, 186.1 innings pitched, issuing 49 walks, and striking out 193 batters. During the postseason, Messick was viewed as and used as one of the most dependable pitchers, outside of Williams.

Williams, during the 2026 regular season made 32 starts, having a record of 14-8, 3.76 ERA, 184.1 innings pitched, 61 walks issued, and 248 strikeouts (setting a career high). He pitched three times in a five-game series against the White Sox during the ALDS, making two starts and one appearance out of the bullpen.

Why Aggressive? Why Now?

Heading into this 2026 offseason, plenty of baseball fans had the right to expect a lockout for the 2027 season, but as of early November, there's a bit of a different outlook. MLB has proposed postponing the salary cap until the 2028 season.

Now, in the end, fans will know by Dec. 2 if there will be a lockout for the MLB, but until then, you have to continue on and wait and see like the rest of us.

Going back to the original thought, why should the Cleveland Guardians get aggressive this offseason? The young core of the Guardians has proven to you that running back the same team isn't a terrible idea, but there was some pop in the middle of the lineup that was missed in the ALCS games.

The team would still be considered aggressive if they decided that they liked what they saw from Adell and decided to extend him instead of going through arbitration.

On the pitching side, the Guardians have to acquire at least one pitcher this offseason due to the use of Tanner Bibee in the postseason. Cleveland looked better set in their pitching rotation in 2026 compared to their last ALCS appearance in 2024.

With pitchers available this offseason like someone like Michael King, coming off a 12-10 season with 32 starts, a 3.21 ERA, 185.0 innings pitched, 70 walks, and 159 strikeouts. Or another pitcher who has familiarity in Cleveland, like Shane Bieber.

The former Cleveland ace, Shane Bieber, has only made 18 starts while with the Blue Jays, has a record of 9-4, 3.97 ERA, 96.0 innings pitched, 31 walks, and 81 strikeouts.

Could you imagine a Cleveland Guardians team that adds a bat with pop in the middle of their lineup along with someone like Bieber as their fourth man in a five-man rotation??