Guardians rumors: Myles Straw named as player likely to be traded in offseason

Could 2023 be the end of Myles Straw's time in Cleveland? That is the belief of Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller. In the recently published 1 MLB Player From Each Team Most Likely to Be Traded in 2023-24 season article, Miller has Straw as the Guardians' entry on the list.

It seemed like Shane Bieber was the initial choice here. This is due to starting the Guardians' section of this list by first naming Bieber and taking up half of the paragraph before Straw is even mentioned. While Miller notes that Bieber could be moved at some point, the focus turns to Straw, and for some pretty good reasons.

"But Cleveland might try even harder to unload its light-hitting, Gold Glove center fielder, as trading Straw would both clear some room in the outfield for top prospect George Valera (who has struggled mightily this season) and improve the team's atrocious slugging via addition by subtraction."

Kerry Miller on Myles Straw

The prospect of moving Straw is very much an enticing one. The contract is not egregiously terrible, but it is not great either. When the deal was signed, Straw appeared to be a diamond in the rough that the Astros did not have room for. As time has passed, his first stretch of games with Cleveland was the exception and not the rule.

Straw starts with a salary of $4.9 million beginning in 2024 and working up to $7.4 million in 2026. Straw's contract has a team option for $8 million that is unlikely to be exercised for 2027. This is not ideal to have this much money allocated to what seems to be a defensive replacement or dedicated pinch-running fourth outfielder. While the return for Straw would be low, it is about finding a way to insert more power into the lineup.

One proposal that is intriguing and suggested by Miller is George Valera. While it is noted that Valera has struggled, he is still a highly regarded prospect. Valera's ability to hit for power is why so many are hopeful he can be an internal option to bolster the outfield production. While Valera alone would not be the answer for Cleveland, it could be a way to provide a stable power-hitting presence in the outfield that the Guardians have not had for some time.