3 moves Guardians must make to counter Tigers' Framber Valdez signing

Each of the past two seasons, the Guardians have won the American League Central and the Tigers have made the postseason via the Wild Card.

And the teams ended up facing off in the postseason in both seasons, with the Guadians getting the better of Detroit in the first matchup while the Tigers came back and won last season.

With that recent history in mind, it's safe to assume that the 13 regular season matchups between the two teams will carry significant weight in the division race, especially considering there's the chance they could meet again in October.

 This offseason the Tigers have geared up for the division by adding Kenley Jansen and Kyle Finnegan to a bullpen that was shaky last year before taking a big swing earlier this week bysigning left-handed starter Framber Valdez.

The Tigers now have a strong rotation led by two left-handers in Valdez and reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, so it's clear the Guardians are going to make some kind of counter. Here's are three ways they could do so.

Option one: Sign a veteran free agent

This feels less likely by the day, but there are still multiple productive right handed bats available on the free agent market, with the three biggest right-handed bats being Andrew McCutchen, Marcell Ozuna, and Paul Goldschmidt.

The first two would be DH only options, which would limit flexibility throughout the season. Goldschmidt would primarily be a DH, but could slide in and play first base if Kyle Manzardo gets hurt or struggles against lefties. All three options would give the Guardians a quality right-handed bat, and they've also al stepped up in big moments. 

Option two: Make a trade

Cleveland has a surplus of relief pitching and a farm system that they can dip into to make a move.

Even though we're at a point in the calendar where any move for an impact bat will have to wait until the season, the Guardians would still be wise to call the Angels to check in on Jo Adell, who hasn't lived up to the hype that came with him being a top prospect.

He finally tapped into his power-potential last season by hitting 37 home runs, though he does havee a frustratingly high strikeout rate.

Still, he'd provide a lot of power from the right side, which would make him a great add to a team badly needing an offensive boost. Another name to watch during the season is Andrew Vaughn, who is set to become a free agent after the season.

The Brewers' recent moves have made it hard for them, so Vaughn would be an interesting bat to add considering he could be a platoon option at first while also filling in in the outfield.

Option three: Stand pat and hope for a breakout

Simply put, the Guardians don't have any hitters outside of José Ramírez who hit from the right side and induce any fear in a left-handed pitcher on the roster.

Frankly, there aren’t any prospects who are close to debuting who are right-handed or a switch-hitter. If Cleveland stands pat, they're going to need Angel Martínez, Brayan Rocchio, Gabriel Arias, or Johnathan Rodríguez to take a major step forward.

While Rocchio has shown some flashes in the postseason, it's risky to trust that his production will translate to a full 162- game season. Arias is nearing his last shot to stay in Cleveland, and banking on any production from him would be risky.

Rodríguez has destroyed minor league pitching but has looked overmatched every time he has made it to Cleveland. Martinez has shown potential, but also has multiple holes in his swing. 

Detroit has made their move to take control of the division and now it's time for the Guardians to decide if they want to counter or just rely on a seemingly unlikely breakout. Whatever they decide to do, their next move will show a glimpse of what their aspirations are for 2026.