Cleveland Guardians: The 2022 Opening Day Dream Lineup

The Cleveland Guardians 2022 Opening Day Dream Lineup

With the World Series now complete, the offseason is in full swing. The Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds have already agreed to a deal involving Tucker Barnhart while Buster Posey announced his retirement. Busy day if you’re a catcher! But there’s plenty of time left for other positions to leave their mark.

So with the offseason underway, what would a dream lineup for the Cleveland Guardians be on Opening Day? Now, we’re going to keep it within reason. There no sense in saying the team is going to sign Marcus Semien or Carlos Correa. Those deals are going to be too astronomical, no matter how much money the front office spends, but what’s a realistic dream lineup for Cleveland?

1. Myles Straw, CF, Cleveland Guardians

This one seems to be nearly set in stone barring something catastrophic. A trade deadline addition for Cleveland, Myles Straw immediately became a fan favorite with stellar play both in the field and at the plate.

After the trade, Straw played in 60 games for Cleveland and was able to slash .285/.362/.377 at the plate over that span. That included 16 doubles, 14 RBI and 13 stolen bases. As for in the infield, Straw posted highlight after highlight while committing just two errors over 506.1 innings in center field.

The best aspect of Straw’s game is his comfort in the leadoff spot. When batting first in the order during the 2021 season, Straw slashed .280/.360/.358 with 17 doubles, 15 stolen bases and 13 RBI. That also includes his time with the Houston Astros before the deal.

The key to Straw is that he fills two needs Cleveland has been looking to fill. He brings a strong glove to center field while also providing a stable force at the top of the lineup. All while on a cheap, arbitration contract through the 2025 season.