4 moves for the Cleveland Guardians to continue their winning ways

1. Cut ties with Estevan Florial

Haven't we seen enough of this experiment yet? Estevan Florial was brought in with the hopes that a change of scenery could do him some good. Unfortunately, the former New York Yankees prospect continues to be a disappointment.

Slashing just .183/.255/.387 with six doubles, three home runs, and two triples, Florial has only reinforced his reputation as a Quad-A player, too good for the minors but not good enough for the majors. The biggest issue for Florial has been and will continue to be his strikeout frequency. Florial is striking out 38.8% of the time this season, which is around five percent higher than most projections and 4.6% higher than his career average. A high strikeout rate would be more tolerable if there was more production to go along with it, but it does not seem like that is ever going to change, no matter the amount of playing time he receives. 

It is not that farfetched to believe that Florial's time with the Guardians has been extended due to the absence of Steven Kwan. There would be one less spot in the lineup for Florial to occupy if Kwan were available, and that cannot be understated. Additionally, with Kyle Manzardo being called up and needing to play on a regular basis, that takes the designated hitter spot out of the equation for Florial, as it will be occupied either by Manzardo or Josh Naylor on most days. 

There is no faulting the thought process of the Guardians by bringing in Florial this past offseason, but it is very apparent that it would be best to move on.

2. Increase David Fry's playing time

If there is one player who might benefit the most from the Cleveland Guardians potentially moving on from Estevan Florial, it could be David Fry. 

Fry has been the polar opposite of Florial this season, being a productive bat when he is in the lineup. With a slash line of .325/.460/.545, Fry has been able to produce in the manner that they were hoping Florial could, with his five doubles and four home runs being a welcome surprise from the veteran utility man. In fact, Fry has equaled his home run total from last season and is one RBI and one double shy of matching his 2023 number in both categories in 26 fewer games. This is the type of improvement at the plate that warrants frequent playing time and should really be in consideration for being in the lineup on a daily basis.

While it needs to be mentioned that finding a way to work Fry into the lineup on a regular basis is not necessarily something that is going to be easy once the team is back at full strength, he is not someone who should see decreased time on the field. First-year manager Stephen Vogt will have to find a way to keep Fry's bat in the lineup, even if that means bouncing around from position to position. 

3. Move on from Gabriel Arias

There was a time when Gabriel Arias was an intriguing shortstop prospect who could have been the successor to Francisco Lindor for the Cleveland Guardians. The problem is he has failed to develop as a hitter and has been a disappointment offensively. 

It would be one thing if the flashes of his offensive potential from last year carried over into this year, but that simply has not been the case. Arias' at-bats are among some of the worst on the team this season, and it is a huge surprise if he somehow manages to make quality contact. Like the previously mentioned Estevan Florial, Arias is striking out way too much in his at-bats. With a strikeout rate of 33%, it is four to five percent higher than projections but only 0.7% higher than his career mark, suggesting that the projections were a little more optimistic than they should have been.

The Guardians have tried to incorporate Arias into their lineup, as he has made appearances at nearly every position this season, but it does not seem like he is going to be able to do enough at the plate to be anything more than a bench utility player. While an argument can be made to keep him around for that purpose, as they are useful and needed throughout a season, having someone capable of not being an offensive drain in that role would be a much better endeavor.

4. Solidify their starting rotation

The Cleveland Guardians are 30-17 and sitting in first place in the American League Central division, something that did not seem at all possible after it was announced that Shane Bieber would be undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery. Cleveland was already without Gavin Williams to start the year, making it hard to believe that they would be in this position with 40% of the rotation on the injured list.

While Williams will be returning to Cleveland at some point this season, the group of Ben Lively, Triston McKenzie, Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen, and Carlos Carrasco could use some help. What the Guardians have been able to get out of this group has been very impressive and should not be discounted in any way. However, this is the one area of the roster right now that seems to be the least stable at the moment.

Bringing an external arm and not just relying on Williams' return from the injured list would be a course of action that would be wise for the Guardians to take. It would ensure stability in their rotation, as well as be a safeguard should anyone else get injured or experience a regression in performance. There is not necessarily a need to rush into a move at this time, but with trade season coming around the corner, they need to be ready to deal when the moment comes.