3 players the Guardians would be foolish to trade at the MLB trade deadline

We’re less than 26 hours away from the MLB trade deadline and the Cleveland Guardians seem poised to strike a variety of deals. 

Here are three players they should stay away from trading. 

3 players the Guardians would be foolish to trade at the MLB trade deadline

RHP Cade Smith 

Holding on to Smith at the deadline seems like a no-brainer, but the Guardians are anything but predictable these days. 

Although Smith’s production this year has been nowhere near where it was last year when he posted a 1.91 ERA in 75 1/3 innings, he’s still a promising young reliever with 4 1/2 years of team control left. 

He may have flubbed his first save chance in a post-Emmanuel Clase world, but that shouldn’t dictate his future with the club. Clase’s future looks murky (which is putting it lightly), so the Guardians will need all the relief help they cant get. 

And there’s a reason Smith was thought of as the closer-of-the-future back when Clase was a mainstay in trade rumors. He still ranks in the 96th percentile or better in strikeout rate, whiff rate, barrel rate and expected ERA, and only allowed two runs across his first 16 1/3 innings of the year. 

The Guardians may be going with a “closer by committee" while they deal with the Clase fallout, but Smith is the gem of the bullpen and should stay a Guardian long-term. 

INF Gabriel Arias 

Arias’ inclusion as the lone position player on this list speaks to the lack of true attractive position player options they have. Steven Kwan is their top position player option, but it would be foolish to say they shouldn’t trade him (if anything, it seems like they’re going to trade him). 

Which brings us to Arias. While he’s seen playing time with the Guardians in every season since 2022, he’s still not arbitration-eligible until 2027 and has proven that he can be a quality everyday player, even if his long-term position isn’t settled. 

He opened the year as the team’s everyday second base before moving over to shortstop when Brayan Rocchio was recalled at the beginning of July, which is the position he’s primarily played since returning from the injured list. 

Arias has played well since coming back (4-for-14, two doubles, one home run), and has a swing that looks its best when he’s getting everyday playing time. The Guardians will likely need to make some kind of decision about the future of their middle infield at the trade deadline, but Arias has the best case to stay of all their utility options.

Middle infielder Juan Brito likely has one of those spots locked down for 2026 (so long as he’s able to stray healthy), but Arias deserves the other one. 

LHP Logan Allen 

On Tuesday, Allen showed exactly how good he can be in MLB. With the Guardians reeling from a tough loss to the Rockies the day prior, Allen went out and shoved with seven strong behind an offense that gave him more than enough run support.

Allen may not have an electric fastball or an incredible package of offspeed pitches, but he does seem to have figured out how to get MLB hitters out with his arsenal.

He currently boasts a 4.06 ERA in 108 2/3 innings this year, and ranks in the 81st percentile in hard-hit rate. The Guardians sent him to Triple-A last year in the hopes he’d be able to turn things around, and they’re seeing the fruits of their labor right now. 

And even if he doesn’t stick as a starter, he comes with the built-in potential as a reliever that every left-handed pitcher has. The Guardians are among baseball’s best at converting starters to relievers (Sam Hentges, Eli Morgan, Hunter Gaddis and others), and Allen could become the next great player to make a shift from the dugout to the bullpen. 

And, like Arias and Smith, he has 4+ years of team control left. It’s one thing to get rid of a pitcher like Allen when you have an abundance of MLB-ready pitchers ready to take his spot. But, while the Guardians sort through the rubble of Clase and Luis Ortiz’s suspension, it’s important they hold onto a pitcher like Allen.