Guardians could pull off full trade deadline do-over during busy offseason 

This year’s trade deadline was the exact shot in the arm the Guardians needed. They got two strong bats in Nathaniel Lowe and Jo Adell, some rotation depth in Foster Griffin and a controllable bullpen arm in Craig Yoho.

That haul ended up being a clear win for Cleveland, as all four of those players ended up playing a role for the Guardians down the stretch in their run toward the American League Championship Series. 

While we knew that Lowe and Griffin were likely destined for a different team in 2027 since they were both impending free agents, Adell and Yoho both looked like they’d be roster staples for years to come since they both came with more team control. 

That may not be the case, however. Although Adell finished the 2026 season with 94 RBI across 159 games with the Angels and Guardians, his limitations against right-handed pitching became a key theme throughout the end of the regular season and the postseason (.588 OPS against righties in Cleveland). 

It would be one thing if Adell was a pre-arbitration player trying to find his footing in the big leagues, but he has five years of service time under his belt and is projected to make almost $10 million in arbitration over the winter. 

Adell may have done his job for the Guardians this season, but it’s time to start to wonder if the Guardians may decide to part ways with him this offseason. 

The Guardians could flip Jo Adell this offseason

Adell’s future has already been quietly brought up this offseason via two national publications. The day after the Guardians were eliminated from the postseason, The Athletic’s Zack Meisel put out his post-mortem post on the Guardians’ season and wrote they’re going “need to make a decision” about Adell’s future while listing him alongside fellow trade candidate Steven Kwan and free agent Austin Hedges. 

That may not seem like a big deal considering it’s a small line at the end of a big story, having Adell included there adds some validity to that hypothesis.

His future was also mentioned in MLB Trade Rumors’ offseason outlook for the Guardians, where Anthony Franco floated Adell as a non-tender candidate if they decide not to tender him a contract for 2027. 

Although that seems like a bit of an extreme outcome for a player the Guardians traded for a couple months ago, it provides a window into how the rest of the baseball world views Adell. 

If the Guardians are going to get rid of Adell, the most realistic option would be for them to settle in arbitration with him and then trade him after that once there’s a better idea of a price tag, but even that is no lock. 

The key part in this may be what the Guardians decide with Steven Kwan. If the Guardians choose to deal Kwan then they’d likely be more inclined to hold onto Adell since they’ll have a free outfield spot (and less money on their books), but Adell could be on the chopping block if Kwan’s on the roster when the Guardians head to Goodyear, Arizona for Spring Training. 

The Guardians' trade deadline approach is a win thanks to their strong postseason showing, but Adell’s uncertain future is a reminder that postseason could be the lasting image from that trade class. 

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