How the Guardians can rebuild their lowly offense after struggles in 2025 playoffs

The Cleveland Guardians' 2025 season was a tale of two teams. On one side, they had a stellar pitching staff and elite defense that helped lead them on a heart-stopping run toward the American League postseason.

On the other side, however, their offense looked like an anchor that was dragging the team down.The stark reality is that the Guardians, for far too long, have prioritized manufacturing runs over power. The struggles of that approach reached a head last season when they finished the year with a .178 team batting average (29th overall).

They excel at getting runners on base but consistently fail to drive them home. With President Chris Antonetti and general manager Mike Chernoff now tasked with delivering the bats to capitalize on their outstanding pitching, their top priority this offseason should be adding an impact outfielder and designated hitter to their lineup.

The Guardians desperately need to upgrade their lineup this offseason

Even if the Guardians offense is among baseball's best at putting the ball in plate, they need to add a 30 homer hitter to the lineup. While José Ramírez is one of the best power hitters in baseball and Kyle Manzardo has provided glimpses into the kind of power that he can provide, the Guardians didn't get a ton of production from designated hitter in 2025.

In fact, Cleveland's DH's combined to hit just .219 last year.

That's right; their designated hitters (a position designed purely for offense) barely finished above the Mendoza Line. The ideal solution to fix that is by adding is a consistent slugger who can anchor the middle of the lineup.

 An emotional and powerful reunion could be the answer by pursuing Josh Naylor.

Naylor has evolved into the exact electric, high-impact bat the Guardians lack. His aggressive style perfectly fits Cleveland's culture, not to mention that his .815 OPS and 20 homers would have been second on the Guardians.

 If Naylor proves too costly, the Guardians there are plenty of other affordable alternatives. That list is topped by include Rhys Hoskins, who will likely be bought out by the Brewers. Hoskins is a powerful right-handed slugger who comes with some injury risk but fits the power profile.

Another option is reinvented lefty slugger Ryan O'Hearn, who was an All-Star for the first time in his career in 2025 while posting a .281/.366/.437 slashline with 17 HR and 63 RBI.

And while they need to address designated hitter, adding some production to the outfield is arguably just as important.

Steven Kwan is a special player who is an elite defender and an on-base machine, but the outfield desperately needs a bat to complement his skillset with legitimate over-the-fence power.

While internal options like Chase DeLauter and George Valera are exciting, relying solely on two rookies is a risky proposition. Therefore, the Guardians need to add another reliable option into the outfield if they truly want to compete in 2026.

There are also lower-tier options like Cedric Mullins and Austin Hays who represent high-floor acquisitions. Mullins, despite having a "down" year where he had a .690 OPS, still provided 17 home runs and 22 steals while playing good defense.

 Hays hit .266 with 15 home runs and offers a great blend of average and pop. 

Another option perhaps is utilizing the team's incredible starting pitching depth (someone like Joey Cantillo or Doug Nikhazy) to trade for a reliable power bat. While unpopular, this would be the way to make a quickest fix.

 The Guardians have the pitching to win now; the offseason must be about spending capital, be it prospect currency or cash, to acquire the power bats that will finally turn those low-scoring losses into crucial wins. The time for change is now.