The Cleveland Guardians are sitting at 51-46, good for second place in the AL Central, and the trade deadline is August 3. That means the rumor mill is in full swing, and one reporter is making a pretty strong prediction about what the front office has to do.
Andre Knott, speaking on ESPN Cleveland, said he’d be ‘shocked’ if the Guardians don’t add another arm to the bullpen. That’s not a small thing for a guy who covers the team day in and day out. He didn’t stop there either. Knott also pointed out that Cleveland desperately needs a right-handed bat at first base — someone who can actually drive the ball out of the park.
‘They got to go get a bullpen guy. I would be shocked if they don’t at least get another bullpen arm,’ Knott said. ‘And I love Kyle Manzardo, and I love Reese Hoskins. But if there’s a first baseman that hits right-handed that can do better than Hoskins or better than what they have. It’s pertinent, especially with the offenses that you’ve seen in Chicago. You know what the Yankees do home run-wise. They got to try to find somebody that can hit the ball out of the ballpark. Like it’s just simple.’
Knott’s comments came with a clear message: The Guardians can’t afford to stand pat. Not with the Yankees and White Sox lurking in the playoff picture, both capable of mashing their way through a series.
The First Base Problem in Cleveland
The numbers at first base tell a pretty rough story. Reese Hoskins, the 33-year-old veteran, is hitting .178 this season with 9 homers and 31 RBIs across 76 games. That’s not exactly the kind of production you want from a corner infielder on a team that’s contending. Kyle Manzardo, the younger option, isn’t doing much better with a .215 average, 10 home runs and 30 RBIs in 87 games. The two combined have been underwhelming at best.
Knott’s point is straightforward enough. The Guardians need a right-handed hitter who can actually change a game with one swing. The current options aren’t cutting it, and the bullpen could use another reliable arm to bridge the gap to closer Emmanuel Clase. The team hasn’t confirmed any specific targets yet, but the speculation is going to ramp up fast as August 3 approaches.
Cleveland opens a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, which gives them a chance to pad their record before the trade chatter really heats up. But if Knott is right, the front office already knows what it has to do.
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