3 World Series participants Guardians should be chasing once offseason begins

Even if this year’s World Series may be a tough watch for Guardians fans since it consists of two other small market teams, there are still plenty of things worth tuning in for (if you can stomach it).

While it may be tough to watch Yandy Díaz or Junior Caminero record another signature postseason moment, there are also plenty of players taking the diamond for both teams who would easily fit into the Guardians’ roster plans for 2027. 

Here’s a look at three of them. 

There are plenty of current Rays and Brewers who could help the Guardians in 2027

RHP JoJo Romero, Milwaukee Brewers 

We already highlighted Romero as a player the Guardians should go after in the offseason, but he also fits here as a World Series participant who would look great in Cleveland. 

Although Romero’s advanced stats aren’t anything special (he also has the worst extension in MLB, which the Guardians love), he has a great groundball rate and entered last night with a 1.69 ERA in the postseason. 

Romero isn’t going to break the bank (he was making just $4.26 million this season via his final season of arbitration), and would be a great fit in the middle of the Guardians’ bullpen as a lefty bridge option. 

RHP Aaron Ashby (or someone like him), Milwaukee Brewers

Let’s get this out of the way first: it’s hard to imagine the Brewers are going to trade Ashby considering he still has three more years of club control remaining via the five-year extension he signed in 2022. 

But his strong postseason has shown how valuable a lights out swingman pitcher can be. After posting a 3.12 ERA in 89 1/3 innings in the regular season, Ashby entered Game 2 of the World Series with 14 scoreless innings under his belt with 14 strikeouts. He set the tone in Game 1 with 1 2/3 scoreless innings across the seventh and eighth innings in his first appearance since pitching the Brewers to the World Series with a nine out save.

The Guardians experimented with a swingman in the bullpen at certain points during 2026 with Slade Cecconi and Logan Allen, but neither of them did much of anything with the opportunity. Both of them could be back with the Guardians next season (and potentially used in that role), but there are also plenty of options in free agency who could fit that role like Walker Buehler, Martín Pérez or Colin Rea (mutual option with the Cubs). 

RHP Nick Martinez, Tampa Bay Rays 

The Guardians saw just how good Martinez can be in the ALCS when he allowed just one run over 5 1/3 innings in Game 4. Now they have a golden opportunity to add him to their roster in free agency. 

Although he has  a $20 million mutual option for next season, he seems destined for free agency since those are almost never picked up. Even though he’s 36, he finished last season with a 3.10 ERA in a career-high 180 innings en route to his first career All-Star nod. He pitched well in Game 1 of the World Series and will likely get at least one more shot to etch his name in October lore. 

He’d likely be available for something like a  two-year, $35 million deal, and the Guardians should jump at the chance to do so.

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