4 hitters the Cleveland Guardians should consider adding before the MLB Trade Deadlin

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The trade deadline is less than two weeks away and the Cleveland Guardians have plenty of work to do if they are going to improve their lineup. Cleveland's lackluster effort this past weekend against the visiting San Diego Padres should serve as a wake-up call to the front office indicating that they are not a finished product as currently constructed. The Guardians need to add bats at the deadline and the following four names could be just what they need to bolster their lineup.

1. JD Martinez - New York Mets

If the Cleveland Guardians are looking for someone who has plenty of experience being on teams that make deep postseason runs and even winning a World Series, perhaps current New York Mets slugger JD Martinez might be of interest. The 36-year-old veteran is currently slashing .264/.348/.446 with 15 doubles and 10 home runs in 70 games this season. While he may not be the force in the lineup he once was, he is still able to provide more than adequate power production when given the chance to do so.

The only real issue that presents itself with a potential deal for Martinez would be positional fit, as he has made all of his appearances this season as the Mets' designated hitter. If the Guardians are still looking to bring Kyle Manzardo back into the mix this season, one of either Manzardo or Martinez would be on the bench at any given time due to Josh Naylor being Cleveland's primary option at Manzardo's position in the field. If there is a belief that Manzardo may not be ready to contribute this season, bringing in Martinez would help provide the Guardians with another threat in their lineup to go yard at any given time.

2. Harrison Bader - New York Mets

Yes, another member of the New York Mets is making an appearance on this list, but unlike the previously mentioned JD Martinez, Harrison Bader has 86 games in center field to his name this season. The outfield is definitely an area the Cleveland Guardians should look to upgrade at the deadline, and acquiring Bader from New York would certainly accomplish that.

Bader has 15 doubles and eight home runs to go with 14 stolen bases and a .267/.310/.397 slash line for the Mets this season. Even though Bader's power production is not considered anything remotely outstanding by any means, being able to add someone with an OPS+ that is just a tick above average (105) would be something worth considering.

It must be acknowledged that acquiring Bader would not necessarily move the needle all that much in terms of fan base reaction it would be hard to find fault in adding a solid MLB-caliber player at the deadline. What needs to be pointed out here is that trading for Bader would help elevate and solidify this roster's talent floor, and being able to do that through a move like this and possibly one other could end up making the difference between a deep playoff run and a quick exit.

3. Lane Thomas - Washington Nationals

Another option who currently resides in the National League East division but is not a member of the New York Mets is Washington Nationals outfielder Lane Thomas. The Nationals are below .500 and are not expected to be in contention for the postseason, and there is an expectation that they are going to sell at the upcoming deadline. Washington's general manager, Mike Rizzo, recently stated that Thomas is available, but they are not necessarily motivated to trade him for the sake of trading him due to the 28-year-old being under team control for one more season after 2024. This means that Thomas could very well be moved, but the right deal will have to be reached in order to do so.

Thomas is slashing .246/.315/.396 with 12 doubles, eight home runs, and three triples this season, along with stealing 25 bases in 71 games. The home run production from Thomas is not anywhere near last year's total of 28, but there should be a belief that he should be able to close that gap by the time this season is over. Even if the home run production does not come close to matching last season's number, Thomas seems like someone who could fit right into what the current group of Guardians brings to the table, and adding another bat like that to the lineup could give opposing teams headaches.

4. Michael Conforto - San Francisco Giants

Currently sitting in a distant fourth place in the National League West, it is quite clear that the current version of the San Francisco Giants are not going anywhere. This could result in a much-needed roster reset for San Francisco, making someone who should be on the radar of the Cleveland Guardians' radar available. Outfielder Michael Conforto.

Now, it must be said that nobody is going to confuse 2024 Conforto with the 2020 version, which seemed on the fast track to superstardom, but that does not mean the Guardians should not be interested. Sure, his current .227/.299/.419 slash line is not particularly impressive, and a lot more power production is expected out of him than his 16 doubles and 10 home runs, but playing in a non-homer-friendly park for left-handers is doing him exactly zero favors. Eight of Conforto's 10 home runs have come on the road, along with nine of his 16 doubles. A change of scenery to somewhere that is not so harsh to left-handed hitters could very well result in his power production increasing rather quickly.

Being able to add another everyday outfielder into their roster mix would allow Cleveland's current timeshare in the outfield to normalize a bit, as there are too many moving pieces in parts currently. Finding a way to get everyone on a normal schedule will benefit all parties involved and help produce desired and repeatable results.