Guardians should inquire about suddenly available Cubs outfielder

It would be in the Cleveland Guardians' best interests to explore adding a full-time outfielder this winter, and luckily for them, one may be available to acquire through trade. According to a report from Joel Sherman of The New York Post, the Chicago Cubs are looking to trade either Cody Bellinger or Seiya Suzuki, with the latter of the two ideally being on Cleveland's radar.

While it does appear that the Cubs are more willing to part ways with Bellinger rather than Suzuki, this should not dissuade the Guardians from attempting to make a deal for Suzuki. Cleveland needs a productive outfield bat in the worst way, and Suzuki would be more than capable of filling that role.

In his first three major league seasons on the north side of Chicago, Suzuki has .278/.354/.470 while averaging 27 doubles and 18 home runs per season. Adding this type of offensive production into the mix would do wonders for their overall output and lengthen their lineup, two things the Guardians really need from their outfield right now.

The biggest obstacle for Cleveland here would be the two years and $38 million remaining on Suzuki's contract. This is usually out of the comfort zone of who the Guardians prefer to operate, but if there is time to make themselves uncomfortable, this is it. After winning the American League Central division and making a run to the ALCS, this is a team that must add talent to their roster rather than subtract it, and adding Suzuki could make a significant dent in the talent gap between themselves and the best teams in baseball that reside in larger markets.

Potential trade(s) could make Guardians' offensive needs more pressing

Cleveland has been open to possibly trading one of either Josh Naylor or Lane Thomas this winter, with the Cincinnati Reds being a team that has been identified as having interest in acquiring their services. Of the two, trading Thomas makes the most sense and would just so happen to clear a path for playing time in Cleveland for Suzuki if they were able to agree to a deal with the Cubs. If Naylor were to be dealt, the need for offensive help would be significantly higher, and the Guardians would need to act with a sense of urgency to address that.

If the Guardians do decide to trade one of Naylor or Thomas, taking on the remaining years of Suzuki's deal becomes a lot more palatable. It would give Cleveland someone they have beyond this season and, should things not go well this season, a potential trade chip to flip next winter, should it come to that. But, of course, that is a hypothetical conversation that is a long way away and does not need to take place at this time. For now, the Guardians should focus on improving their roster and bringing someone like Suzuki into the mix.