Cleveland Guardians: 3 things that will automatically win the offseason

The Cleveland Guardians don’t trade any key players

This seems rather simple, but it’s actually a talking point when it comes to Cleveland. If being competitive in 2022 is the goal, which it absolutely should be, then the Cleveland Guardians can’t do what the organization has done in past offseasons. Sometimes doing less is more and that’s the approach the team needs to have when it comes to trades.

Most of Cleveland’s roster is young and will be part of the future, so tradable assets are dwindling compared to what the last couple offseasons have shown. That might be because all the top players are already gone. However, players like Jose Ramirez and Shane Bieber need to stay on the roster. I don’t see them trading them, but you never know.

Last offseason saw Cleveland move Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco. The year before was the Corey Kluber trade. Go back another year and the team traded away Edwin Encarnacion while letting Michael Brantley walk in free agency. Some of those moves were welcomed more than others, but the reality is the same. Cleveland is known for trading away big names in the offseason and have done it the last three years.

If Cleveland stands pat and holds on to the club’s current talent while adding additional pieces, that alone would be an automatic win considering how the team has operated in the past.