2 former Guardians from 2023 that will be missed this season and 4 they won’t

4 of 6

The Cleveland Guardians are entering this season with a different look than last season. A few players from last year's Opening Day roster have since moved on to other teams, while a couple of others remain unsigned at this time. These players fall into one of two categories. Players who will be missed and others, not so much.

Player Who Will Not Be Missed: Noah Syndergaard

Coming over in a midseason trade in exchange for shortstop Amed Rosario, Noah Syndergaard's stay with the Cleveland Guardians was quite brief. Appearing in just six games, Syndergaard compiled a 5.40 ERA and 1.290 WHIP while giving up 10 home runs in 33.1 innings. It was no wonder why the Guardians decided to part ways with Syndergaard, given his performance.

The only reason why Syndergaard ended up in Cleveland in the first place is that the Guardians needed pitching. An injury to Shane Bieber a few weeks prior, combined with a pitching staff full of rookies, was not an ideal situation for a team hoping to make a push toward the postseason. Cleveland needed Syndergaard to eat innings while they attempted to restabilize their rotation in their quest for postseason play.

Even though Syndergaard did eat some innings and provided some relief to an overworked pitching group, there is not a reasonable person out there who would have wanted him to return in 2024.

Player Who Will Not Be Missed: Mike Zunino

The logic behind signing Mike Zunino before last season was sound. Cleveland's lineup needed power, and Zunino is someone who had four 20+ home run seasons under his belt and even hit 33 in his last season with over 100 appearances. The problem was that Zunino's days of being that type of hitter appeared to be a distant memory.

Zunino had one of his worst seasons as a pro during his 42 games in Cleveland, with a slash line of .177/.271/.306. While nobody was expecting the veteran backstop to contend for a batting title, the lack of power output from Zunino (seven doubles, three home runs) was not enough to justify his time with the Guardians being extended.

The good news is that Zunino not being able to perform (eventually) led to catching prospect Bo Naylor's arrival. The younger Naylor easily surpassed Zunino's power numbers (13 doubles and 11 home runs) in his 62 games of play. So, in a way, Zunino flopping big time was a good thing when evaluating how things played out last season. If he was able to hit for power consistently, there is a good chance that Naylor is still blocked from the major league roster as things stand currently.

Player That Will Be Missed: Cal Quantrill

As everyone is well aware by now, the Cleveland Guardians dealt with more than their fair share of injuries last season and were forced to start 14 different pitchers last season, 12 of whom made five or more starts last season. The amount of change that their starting rotation saw very early on last year displayed how important depth is to a major league team, and that could make Cal Quantril’s absence felt this season should things play out in a similar manner.

Now, Quantrill was not the most outstanding pitcher on Cleveland’s staff last season, but when removing someone who almost made 20 starts last year from the equation could have a ripple effect on the rest of the rotation.

Barring an injury or trade, it would have been difficult for Quantrill to crack the rotation this year, as Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie, Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, and Logan Allen seem pretty locked into their rotation spots. But all it takes is something to happen to one of these options, and Quantrill would have been the next man up.

In the meantime, the 29-year-old could have occupied a spot in the bullpen as someone capable of taking over if someone gets shelled early or if a spot start is needed for one reason or another. Even though these are not usually roles considered to be important, having someone capable of pitching competently when the team is in a position of need is something that is truly valuable.

Player Who Will Not Be Missed: Lucas Giolito

When it comes to the players the Cleveland Guardians acquired in their attempt to push for the postseason last year, there is one player who stands out among the rest, and not for a good reason. Lucas Giolito.

Giolito's first start with the Guardians could not have gone much worse, allowing nine runs on seven hits (three of which were of the home run variety) in just three innings. This was not the only game that saw Giolito give up three long balls, as this happened two more times before the season ended.

It was not completely terrible for Giolito during his brief stint with the Guardians. In fact, there was a moment when it appeared that he may have turned the corner. Giolito shut down the eventual 2023 World Series Champion Texas Rangers in his third start. Striking out 12 while allowing just two hits and issuing one free pass. The problem was, it would not last. Giolito would give up three runs in his next start followed by five runs in his final two, all losses.

Even though Giolito was able to dig deep for his one start against Texas, the inconsistency on a start-to-start basis makes it hard to justify wanting him to remain in Cleveland beyond last season. Perhaps Giolito can channel his former self in Boston, but his $18 million salary this season was too much of a gamble for Cleveland, considering how he was mostly ineffective last year.

Player Who Will Not Be Missed: Josh Bell

The previously mentioned free agent blunder, Mike Zunino, is not the only player who was signed before last season with an entry on this list. The Guardians took a chance on switch-hitting first baseman Josh Bell, hoping that he could provide some thump into the middle of the order.

Bell was able to provide some power to the Guardians lineup last year with 19 doubles and 11 home runs, but a little bit more was expected of him than what he was able to provide in his 97 games with the ballclub.

The main problem was strikeout frequency. While there is a certain level of striking out that is accepted, Bell's 81 strikeouts had him on track to eclipse his previous single-season high of 118 (Bell would strike out 53 times with the Miami Marlins and set a new high with 134).

Even though Bell was able to be a more impactful hitter for the Marlins, the Guardians are still better off moving forward without him. Bell not being in the organization means that there is no one blocking Kyle Manzardo from making his MLB Debut at some point this season (hopefully sooner rather than later). If Bell were still here, it would be hard to get Manzardo into the majors, with Bell and Josh Naylor occupying the first base and DH spots most days. Bell being gone presents Manzardo with an opportunity he would not otherwise have, and everyone in Cleveland is better off for it.

Player That Will Be Missed: Kole Calhoun

Most were probably expecting to see someone else in this spot, such as Aaron Civale or Amed Rosario, and those people will be disappointed because this entry belongs to Kole Calhoun.

While Civale would have been a starter in the rotation and Rosario an everyday player, that is not what this team needs right now, as the spots they previously occupied on the roster are currently filled. Instead, Calhoun would be in a much different role. The role of a veteran who can help a very young Guardians team when called upon. This roster only has four players over the age of 30 currently - Ben Lively (31), Scott Barlow (31), Austin Hedges (31), and Jose Ramirez (31). This does paint a picture of a potentially bright future should the young players on the roster develop into productive roster mainstays in a few years, but as things stand now, an additional player or two on the other side of 30 would not be the worst idea.

There is another aspect to wanting someone like Calhoun in a limited/part-time role on the bench. The Guardians are entering the first year without Terry Francona as their manager since 2012. Having additional older voices on the roster to help reinforce the transition into the Stephen Vogt era wouldn't hurt. It is also worth mentioning that Calhoun and Vogt were teammates during the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

It is about having the right combination of veterans and young players on the roster. An argument could be made that they are currently set in regards to that mix, but having someone like Calhoun on the roster again wouldn't hurt.