3 early trade deadline targets who would be great fits on Guardians' roster

It’s never too early to think about the trade deadline. Even if there’s still a little less than two months away from this year’s Aug. 3 deadline, the Guardians have proven they’re a bonafide contender, which means deadline upgrades are going to be necessary. 

Here are three targets who would be obvious fits on the Guardians’ roster. 

Pete Fairbanks, Antonio Senzatela and Jo Adell are great trade targets for the Guardians

OF Jo Adell, Los Angeles Angels
.243/.283/.392, 10 HR, 37 RBI in 66 games

Adell has a pretty interesting trade case. Although he’s coming off a 37 HR, 98 RBI campaign last season, he has a career on-base percentage of .278 and has only walked in 2% of his at-bats this year. He’s also a bit of a shaky fielder (though he did rob three home runs in a game earlier this year). 

But he also has some obvious value given his power (45% hard-hit rate) and is under team control until 2027.

His $5.2 million price tag is a bit steep given he’d be a part-time player in Cleveland, but his power would make him an intriguing option for the Guardians’ front office to consider (even if it wouldn’t be a perfect fit). 

RHP Pete Fairbanks, Miami Marlins
2-3, 7.41 ERA, 7 SV, 23 K in 17 innings

This year has been an abject disaster for Fairbanks, who signed a $13 million deal with the Marlins in the offseason after seven productive years with the Rays. 

While Fairbanks has put together a couple solid stretches this season, he’s also allowed multiple runs in four appearances this season, with the latest coming via a two-run appearance against the Rays over the weekend.

He’s had to deal with his share of off-the-field issues as well, as he didn’t pitch for nine days earlier in the year after going on the paternity list and also had a stint on the injured list due to nerve irritation. 

Fairbanks is still striking out nearly 30% of the batters he’s faced and has an expected ERA that’s nearly four points lower than his actual ERA. 

HIs salary would make him one of the more expensive players on the Guardians’ roster, but he’d be a great addition to Cleveland’s high-leverage equation. 

RHP Antonio Senzatela, Colorado Rockies
5-0, 1.98 ERA, 3 SV, 30 K in 36 1/3 innings

After struggling for five straight seasons while working out of Colorado’s starting rotation,  Senzatela has turned into a shutout reliever this year. 

He also seems like a lock to get traded, as the Denver Post’s Patrick Sanders reported over the weekend that the Rockies are “likely looking for starting pitching prospects” in exchange for Senzatela. 

Although the Guardians don’t have a ton of MLB-ready starting pitching depth, they have an abundance of pitching prospects in the lower levels of the minors (as we saw in the Patrick Bailey trade). 

Even if Senzatela’s advanced statistics make it seem like he’s due a bit of regression (3.04 expected ERA), he’d also be a good addition to the Guardians’ bullpen and could work as a middle-leverage reliever or longman depending on the situation. 

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