The Guardians’ Looming Outfield Decisions

Outfield production has been a persistent flaw for the Guardians for several seasons now. Dating back to 2021, Cleveland outfielders have posted a collective .247/.313/.367 batting line — about 8% worse than league average, by measure of wRC+ (which weights for home park and league run-scoring environment). That may not seem all that bleak, but it’s tied with the White Sox for 28th in baseball. The only two teams with decidedly worse outfield production have been the division-rival Royals and the Rockies, the latter of whom haven’t won more than 74 games in a season during that stretch and are barreling toward their fourth straight year of 100-plus losses. It’s not great company. Last year’s Guardians outfield combined for a disastrous .225/.288/.341 slash. The resulting 76 wRC+ is tied for the third-worst showing of any team’s outfield in a single season dating back to 2021. Things have improved this year, with the Guards presently sitting on league-average offense. Rookie Chase DeLauter looks the part of a solid right fielder. Steven Kwan was stumbling through an awful season before catching fire midsummer and pulling his batting line out of the gutter. Deadline acquisition Jo Adell wasn’t hitting in Anaheim but has found his stride in Cleveland — albeit in a small sample of 110 plate appearances. A 2027 outfield including Adell, Kwan and DeLauter could give the Guardians their most formidable group of outfielders in recent memory. Granted, that’s a low bar to clear, but the trio could all have a chance at producing better-than-average offense … if they’re all on the roster, that is. That’s a major caveat when considering how Cleveland typically operates, and there’s a pretty decent chance that won’t be the case next year. Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription Access weekly subscriber-only articles by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco. Join exclusive weekly live chats with Anthony. Remove ads and support our writers. Access GM-caliber tools like our MLB Contract Tracker View Comments (0)