3 of the best moves from recent history that turned the Guardians into a contender

Major League Baseball is a results-based sport, so sometimes it can be tough to recognize the moves that pay off for a team compared to the ones that, well, don’t.

But after we  spent some time earlier this week highlighting three recent moves the Guardians made that haven't pay off, we decided to take a look at three moves the team has made that have helped turn the Guardians into the perennial contender that they are now. 

These three moves helped the Guardians turn into a contender 

Signing José Ramírez to contract extension 

It seems simple, but sometimes the simplest moves can be the most important. As spring training winding down (and with the Blue Jays and Padres banging down the Guardians’ door), Ramírez huddled in the visiting manager’s office at Chase Field to hammer out his contract extension.  

It was a move that set the Guardians up for long-term success. 

Ramírez has hit .281 in the four seasons since signing that extension to go along with 122 home runs, 409 RBI and 133 steals. He’s been an All-Star four times, won three Silver Sluggers and finished in top-five in MVP voting in each season. 

Simply put, Ramírez is one of the best players in baseball and there’s no way the Guardians would be where they are without him. 

Giving Steven Kwan a chance to be an everyday outfielder 

Ramírez’s extension wasn’t the only franchise-altering decision the Guardians made at the start of the 2022 season. 

Kwan wowed during spring training in 2022 and ended up breaking camp with the Guardians thanks to Josh Naylor needing to start the season on the injured list. He was the fifth outfielder on the depth chart behind Myles Straw, Bradley Zimmer, Oscar Mercado, Amed Rosario and Myles Straw (2022 was a time) but ended up becoming the best of the bunch. 

Kwan’s been with the Guardians for so long that the conversation around him has gone from appreciating what he can do to wondering when he’s going to be traded, but giving him a chance in ‘22 still stands as one of the team’s best moves in recent memory. 

Putting Cade Smith on the Opening Day roster in 2024

Talk about a butterfly effect. 

While Smith left spring training with the Guardians’ big league club, he existed in a state of limbo since the team told him that he’d be sent down if they got an outside addition. The Guardians’ front office decided to roll with Smith on their Opening Day roster, and the rest is history. 

After a great initial season with the Guardians where he posted a 1.91 ERA in a season where he earned MVP and Cy Young votes, Smith worked as a setup man in the first half of the season before becoming the team’s closer after Emmanuel Clase was placed on paid leave due to a sports betting investigation. 

Smith got rocked in his appearance as closer but rebounded and finished the season on a tear and will enter 2026 as Cleveland’s undisputed option at closer.