The Cleveland Guardians have a long offseason ahead of them.

Over the course of the next few months, it’s expected that the Guardians will look to upgrade their team in any way that they can.

After coming up short of a World Series appearance, this team might only be a few players away from making it back to that position. In order to make that dream a reality, a couple of players might need to be traded in order to acquire some better talent.

Cleveland’s roster is littered with young potential stars; even their farm system has prospects on the cusp of their MLB debuts. Still, there are question marks throughout their roster that need to be addressed.

Here are four players that could be trade candidates this offseason:

Steven Kwan

As much as Guardians fans would love to see Kwan in the outfield next season and beyond, his time in Cleveland could be coming to an end.

It was reported numerous times throughout the season that Kwan could be traded after reports of a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers being on the table. That never happened, but it doesn’t mean it can’t still be in the cards.

Kwan had a down year with Cleveland, especially through the first half of the season. His defensive excellence is still there, but he struggled at the plate before finding his groove later in the season.

It might be better to deal Kwan sooner rather than later, especially based on what Cleveland could seek in return for the Gold Glove outfielder.

Kyle Manzardo

Even though Manzardo is still young and has plenty of time to continue learning, the writing might already be on the wall for the first-base slugger. 

Manzardo was once viewed as a key piece of the future in Cleveland, but his struggles at the plate outside of his occasional home run hitting mean he’s expendable.

After multiple trade deadline acquisitions by the Guardians, Manzardo was sent down to Columbus, where he spent the remainder of the 2026 season. Nathaniel Lowe took his place at first base, and the rest is history.

Similar to Kwan, it might be better to trade Manzardo soon to maximize his value, which is slowly declining as time goes on. Top first base prospect Ralphy Velazquez is waiting for his name to be called, which would certainly signal the end of Manzardo’s time in Cleveland.

Tim Herrin

Even though Cleveland has little room to rearrange their bullpen, Herrin could be one player on the move this offseason if the right deal presents itself.

It would have to be a trade for another relief pitcher, but that doesn’t mean one of lesser value than Herrin. The Guardians could package Herrin with one or two of their prospects to acquire a lethal arm to contribute in the later innings.

Herrin didn’t have a good postseason for the Guardians, even with a middle-of-the-pack regular-season stat line. For his age, a team might be willing to give up a better player if it means they can get a 30-year-old relief pitcher with the ability to contribute.

Erik Sabrowski

It’s safe to say that most Guardians fans wouldn’t be disappointed if Sabrowski were traded, as he had a knack for giving up runs in key innings that put Cleveland behind.

His stats indicate that he was better than most fans thought, as he finished the season with a 2.61 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Sabrowski is also approaching the 30-year-old mark, and both he and Herrin are certainly expendable for the right price.

The Guardians need a real game changer in their bullpen, as there isn’t necessarily one name that really stands out as a top option. If a team has an offer for Sabrowski, that means an upgrade is in place; Cleveland would be foolish to turn it down.