No, a Josh Bell reunion should not be on the table for the Cleveland Guardians

A familar face has become available for anyone to claim as the Miami Marlins have placed first baseman Josh Bell on outright waivers, according to a report from FanSided's Robert Murray. This comes after the Marlins dealt Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the New York Yankees and are making it abundantly clear to everyone that they are tearing things down (again). And while the Cleveland Guardians are in need of some help before Tuesday's deadline, a reunion with Bell should not be considered under any circumstance.

Bell appeared in 97 games for Cleveland last season and was mostly forgettable. Slashing .233/.318/.383 with 19 doubles and 11 home runs, he was not able to provide the offensive boost they were looking for when they signed him before the 2023 season. This resulted in shipping Bell down to Miami in a salary dump-style deal ahead of last year's deadline.

While Bell was able to be a more productive hitter over the remainder of the season in Miami, sporting a .270/.338/.480 slash line with 11 home runs and nine doubles, he has since reverted to performing at a similar level before last year's trade. In 104 games for the Marlins this season, Bell is slashing .239/.305/.394 with 18 doubles and 14 home runs. This is not completely useless offensive production, but it is considered to be below average in the OPS+ department (92).

Even though the Guardians do need to make some moves before the upcoming trade deadline, bringing Bell back is not the answer. Cleveland currently employs Josh Naylor at first and has Kyle Manzardo waiting to make his return in Triple-A. Adding another first base/DH type into the fold would make absolutely zero sense, given their current roster construction. The Guardians need to prioritize starting pitching, outfield, and shortstop rather than acquiring someone who would be considered a redundant addition with very little upside.