3 Guardians trade candidates ahead of non-tender deadline (and what Cleveland can expect to receive in return)

Later this month every MLB team is going to look up and down its roster to decide what it wants to do at the non-tender deadline. While that date always holds some level of significance in the MLB calendar, it’s arguably even more important this year since the lockout could wipe out a good portion, if not all, of the rest of the offseason. 

Not only could that lead to more free agents signing earlier than normal, but it could also lead to more trades around the non-tender deadline as teams look to get their affairs in order. Here are three Guardians players who could get caught in that whirlwind this month. 

The Guardians are going to need to trim their roster ahead of non-tender deadline

OF Jo Adell (arbitration-eligible) 

It seems like there’s a chance Adell’s time with the Guardians could be a shorter stint than any of us imagined when they traded for him at this summer’s deadline. 

Adell gave the Guardians plenty of power production after that trade, but he also suffered from the same warts that plagued him during his time with the Angels. That, plus his rising price tag, could be enough for the Guardians to try to sell high on his production and clear up their glut of outfielders. 

The Guardians traded away catching prospect Jacob Cozart to get Adell, so any deal here will have to equal (or top) that return. Luckily there are plenty of teams that need outfield help. Adell’s not going to get non-tendered, but moving him now would free up a roster spot for a player who would be on the outside of the roster bubble if Adell was part of the picture. 

Prediction: Guardians deal Adell to the Phillies for INF prospect Alirio Ferrebus and LHP prospect Mavis Graves

RHP Slade Cecconi (arbitration-eligible)

The Guardians acquired Cecconi two years ago in the hopes their pitching factory would be able to tap into his raw talent, and the results since then have been… inconsistent. 

Cecconi’s showed flashes (like his near no-hitter in September 2025), but he also has a 4.59 ERA in 253 innings with the Guardians. He’s a valuable innings eater with a throwback profile, but it seems like his ceiling is a No. 4 or 5 starter. That profile is obviously valuable for the Guardians, it could be even more valuable for a pitching-needy team. 

Three years ago the Guardians traded Cal Quantrill to the Rockies in exchange for catcher Kody Huff, who was playing at the Rockies Single-A team at the time of the trade. 

The Guardians should be able to get something similar for Cecconi. 

Potential trade: Guardians deal Cecconi and SS prospect Johan Rodriguez to Athletics for C/INF prospect Davis Diaz

UTL David Fry (arbitration-eligible)

Fry went on a crazy Linsanity run for the Guardians in the first half of the 2024 season, but all the momentum from that got derailed when he suffered an arm injury that led to him undergoing Tommy John surgery. He hasn’t looked the same in the time since, and just finished a year where he had a .677 OPS in 91 games while playing all over the diamond. 

He’s been an important part of the Guardians’ bench puzzle, but his bat has been a net negative. But he falls into the same boat as Cecconi of potentially having more value to another club. While the Guardians are a defense-first team in need of offense, there are plenty of clubs that are the inverse. 

The Guardians clearly won the trade with the Brewers that sent Fry to Cleveland, and that tree could gain another branch this offseason. 

Potential trade: Guardians deal Fry to the Mets for LHP pitching prospect Nicolas Carreño

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