3 bullpen arms the Guardians could trade to improve their roster

There is an expectation that the Cleveland Guardians could be in both buy and sell mode, and they may consider moving some of their bullpen depth in order to improve other areas of their roster. Should this be the path the Guardians take, three names instantly come to mind as guys that could be dealt before the MLB Trade Deadline.

1. Scott Barlow

Starting with the most obvious potential bullpen arm on the move, Scott Barlow. The Guardians acquired Barlow before the season began in an effort to bolster their relief corps. Barlow has served as a closer previously in his career and would be an ideal candidate to fill that role again if Emmanuel Clase were to become injured or not be able to put last year's underwhelming season behind him. This was before the emergence of Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith as elite bullpen arms. With those two now being the next logical option, Barlow is someone who could definitely be considered moveable.

There is another factor at play here, Barlow's contract. Barlow is set to become a free agent after the year, meaning that he is an ideal trade candidate in Cleveland's eyes. There is a very good chance Barlow signs with a different organization in the offseason, and the Guardians may look to prioritize cashing in on the soon-to-be free agent and look for a roster upgrade elsewhere on the roster. Even if it is just for a rental bat, trading Barlow now seems to make a lot of sense.

2. Nick Sandlin

Should the Guardians be unable or unwilling to find an agreeable deal for the previously mentioned impending free agent Scott Barlow, perhaps they could look to trade someone who is still under team control through the 2027 season. Nick Sandlin. The 27-year-old reliever has three more arbitration-eligible years remaining and could be of interest to a team looking to acquire a bullpen arm that they could have for multiple seasons rather than just a rental.

With 42 appearances so far this season, Sandlin has been the sixth-most-used reliever by the Guardians. Even though Sandlin's heavy workload seems to indicate that he is a crucial part of Cleveland's bullpen, the fact there are four other non-closers ahead of him in use frequency suggests that those options are the preferred go-to arms in relief. Taking that into consideration, Sandlin would be an ideal trade chip for the Guardians to use as they look to be active at the deadline.

The only thing that could keep the Guardians from considering moving Sandlin would be if one of the other frequently used relievers goes down with an injury. With Cleveland's heavy reliance on their bullpen this year, that would be more than enough for the Guardians to reconsider a potential trade of Sandlin if that option were to be on the table.