3 Cleveland Guardians that may be gone after the 2022 MLB trade deadline

3. OF/DH Franmil Reyes

Franmil Reyes has been with the Guardians for four seasons now and has contributed as a solid role player through all four seasons.

He’s recorded 259 hits, 47 doubles, 58 home runs, 182 RBIs, and a very consistent .247 batting average in four years with the Guardians.

Just a few months ago, however, it was reported that the Guardians front office would look to move him at the August 2nd trade deadline to open up opportunities for players in the minors.

This season has been a struggle for the 26-year-old, as he’s batted .220 with 54 hits, nine doubles, nine home runs, and 28 RBIs. The biggest knock to his game has been his excessive strikeouts.

Reyes is a power hitter and with that comes plenty of strikeouts, but this season he’s recorded 102 strikeouts in 246 at-bats.

Last season he had 149 strikeouts, and in the 2019 season he had 156 strikeouts. With the season a little over halfway complete, Reyes is on pace to have his season-worst in strikeouts.

Although his strikeouts have heightened, as a 6’5″, 260-pound power hitter, plenty of teams in the league would have their eyes on trading for him at the deadline.

Reyes’ trade value in the open market is definitely an interesting one, and Cleveland could command rotational or bullpen pieces to open up opportunities for players in the minors to slide into his role.

Who would replace him in the lineup if he was traded?

With the loss of Reyes at DH, the opportunity for a lot of changes in the lineup opens up.

Josh Naylor could slide to the DH role to give Owen Miller the first base position, and even Triple-A or Double-A first base prospects could get their shot in the majors.

One notable prospect who could fit well into Reyes’ role as a DH and power hitter would be Double-A prospect Jhonkensy Noel.

Now, this probably wouldn’t be the case until next season due to how young he is, but he would definitely fit in the role Reyes has in the lineup now.

Realistically, however, if Reyes was traded the most likely lineup change would be Naylor to the DH spot and either Owen Miller, Bobby Bradley or a Triple-A prospect at the first base position.