Former All-Star outfielder would make a good addition to Guardians

The calendar has flipped to 2025, and the Cleveland Guardians' outfield could still use a little help. This is a group that is relatively unsettled, with the obvious exception of Steven Kwan in left field, but besides that, Cleveland would be wise to peruse the still unsigned options available to them. One possible option for the Guardians to consider would be former All-Star Jesse Winker.

The 31-year-old Winker is coming off of a comeback season of sorts, sporting his best slash line in several seasons (.253/.360/.405) while splitting time between the Washington Nationals and New York Mets. Winker was better in Washington than in New York (126 OPS+ compared to 95) but was still close to average during his time with the Mets late last season, and that is what matters here. Cleveland needs to find a way to bring their offensive production up to an acceptable level, and Winker should be more than capable of accomplishing that task.

Would adding Winker raise the Guardians' talent ceiling? No, but that is not the point here. This is about raising their talent floor and providing consistent stability to a group that truly needs it. Kwan is the only really dependable bat in the group, with the rest having at least one flaw that prevents them from being reliable. Sorting through those other options and discarding those who are no longer able to provide the level of offense this team needs.

Is there risk with signing Winker? Clearly, there is, or else he would have signed somewhere by now. On the other hand, his likely low cost would be music to Cleveland's front office, which should allow them to remain within their preferred team payroll range. This way, if Winker is not able to carry over his output from last season, the Guardians can cut ties without it hurting too much. Having that type of flexibility is something that the organization should prioritize when it comes to signing free agents at this point in the offseason cycle, and Winker would certainly provide that.