4 Players the Guardians should look to trade before the deadline

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The Cleveland Guardians continue to hover around the .500 mark on the season and are somehow still relevant in the American League Central Division. However, the front office must take a long, hard look at the team they have constructed and realize that this year is in fact, not their year.

While the Guardians do trail the Minnesota Twins by only 1.5 games entering Sunday, their +1 run differential is the fifth-lowest in the American League. The only teams that possess a lower run differential are the three non-competitive in the division and of couse, the Oakland Athletics.

Realizing that this team is more than likely to be boatraced in the postseason should they make it that far, it would be the best course of action to move on a from a few players. Taking the opportunity to reset their roster while also being able to bring in some other options via trade deadline deals would allow this team to concentrate on 2024 and beyond. There is the possibility that this team somehow finds a way to remain competitive in the worst division in baseball after trading away these names, but that should not be the focus here. It is about looking forward to the future of the franchise.

Myles Straw

There is not really a justifiable reason for Myles Straw to continue to see regular playing time. Straw is not anything resembling a force at the plate and there are other options that the Guardians should be giving playing time to over him. Much like the recent trade of Amed Rosario, Straw should be moved in order to make Terry Francona go to someone else as the option to man center field on a daily basis.

When it comes to Straw it would be one thing if he was being used as a fourth outfielder, defensive replacement, pinch runner type. Unfortunately, this has not been his role in Cleveland. Being unable to find a consistent option in the outfield has led to increased playing time that he otherwise should not be afforded.

As far as interest from other teams, selling them on Straw being what he should be as an option off the bench could be enticing. There is no future in Cleveland and they need to find a way to part ways before they are forced into having to release him. Getting something, even if it is just cash considerations, is better than getting nothing at all.

Noah Syndergaard

The decision to trade Amed Rosario always made sense. As far as getting Noah Syndergaard in return is concerned, not so much. While this seems to fit the need for a starting pitcher that Cleveland President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti made note of, this was not the name many expected to see added to the roster.

Syndergaard is far from the player he was during his time with the New York Mets and has seen plenty of struggles during the latter part of his time in Queens and his stints with the Phillies and Dodgers. It is very apparent that his best days are behind him, even if the lackluster perfromance of this season has been attributed to a blister and fingernail issue.

It is highly unlikely that the man alternatively known as Thor will suddenly return to his former self. Cleveland should cut bait while they can and not even bother with trying to find a way to "fix" Syndergaard down the stretch. The reality is that he may be beyond fixing and just is not a good pitcher anymore. Considering how much he has bounced around from team-to-team in recent years shows that while teams have taken chances on the thought of upside, it has not worked out well enough to keep him around. The Guardians should follow in the path carved out by those organizations and bypass the prospect of Syndergaard making his team debut in Houston Monday.

Josh Bell

A complete, but expected disappointment. This is the best way to describe Josh Bell's first season with the Guardians. The hope was that Bell would be able to shake off his poor performance during his time with the San Diego Padres has not worked out in the manner that the team hoped. Bell is not even playing up to the level of his career averages and has not been able to provide what has been expcted of him.

The fact of the matter is that the month of August is two days away and his numbers are still lacking. There is no turning it on. Waiting for him to suddenly find his groove at the plate is a fool's errand. Signing Bell was one of Cleveland's two big whiffs in free agency, which seems pretty applcable to Bell considering how often he fails to do much of anything at the plate.

It is not just about the clear waste of money that Bell's contract clearly is, because that is undisputable. But the prospect of Bell inevitably opting into his player option for next season should be frightening to the front office of the Guardians. There is no way to justify another season of spending another $16.5 million on Bell next year. Getting out from under this albatross of a free-agent contract should be near or at the top of Cleveland's priority list.

Aaron Civale

This is not a popular opinion, but the Cleveland Guardians should look to trade Aaron Civale. Civale's value is currently at the highest it will ever be and the front office should take advantage of that. Contacting any and all teams who missed out on the likes of Max Scherzer and possibly Justin Verlander should be their starting point.

It is not exactly like rumors surrounding Civale are new. In fact, Civale was recently predicted to be traded before the deadline and it seems momentum seems to still be picking up on a potential deal. This would not be uncharted waters for Cleveland if they were to make a deadline deal for a starting pitcher. The Guardians have gone this route before and it would not be surprising to see them do it again.

It comes down to the long-term outlook here. There is currently a surplus of pitching at the major league level, even if three of them are still rookies. Looking ahead to next year, those will be the primary arms in the rotation with Triston McKenzie and Shane Bieber (if he is also not traded before the start of next season).

While moving Civale now would more than likely end their quest for the postseason, it is not like the current version of the Guardians roster is a true World Series contender. It is better to make a move, albeit an unpopular one now to help out down the line rather than make a few shortsighted decisions that result in being in a state of competitive purgatory.