Five former players the Guardians should consider bringing back

5. Michael Brantley

Seriously, who else would love to see good old Dr. Smooth return to Cleveland and go out with the organization he broke into the majors with?

Unlike the previous two bats listed here, Michael Brantley is still able to be a producer when in the lineup, slashing .286/.357/.418 with a .775 OPS over the past two seasons. The problem is that he has not been available all that often, as he was limited to 79 games over that span.

Brantley returning to Cleveland would help the Guardians in two areas. The first area is a bat that contributes from day one and is a steady presence in their lineup. The other area would buy the Guardians some time for the more intriguing outfield prospects in their system rather than those who have trouble staying healthy, striking out too much, or both. This would protect Cleveland should those prospects not be ready (if they ever are ready) and if there are injuries to other players at the major league level. The Guardians had a razor-thin margin for error last season, and bringing back Brantley would be a way to see that margin grow, an outcome this team desperately needs as they look to begin the Stephen Vogt managerial era on a good note.