What was named as the Guardians' toughest free agency decision?

There are certain questions teams face when entering the upcoming free-agent period. Some are centered around specific players or position groups, while others are a bit more broad. According to Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer, the toughest question for the Cleveland Guardians falls into the broad end of the spectrum. 

That question? Whether to Try Harder to Add Power. Rymer notes that the Guardians attempted to bolster their light-hitting lineup from last year by signing Josh Bell and Mike Zunino, with both signings being massive whiffs.

"Heck of a lot of good it did them. Bell and Zunino produced just 14 home runs in the time they were in town, which notably wasn't the whole year for either of them. In the end, the Guardians hit 27 fewer homers than any other team."

- Zachary D. Rymer on the Guardians

It is their lack of power from this past season that should make answering this question very easy and in fact, not tough at all. The Guardians need power in the worst way, and they must look at external options in order to rectify this issue.

Two names were brought up as possible options for Cleveland should they look to acquire someone who will cost a bit more but appear to be more likely to prove their worth, Teoscar Hernandez and Jorge Soler. Hernandez will be an unrestricted free agent, while Soler would have to opt out of his $9 million salary for next year. Considering that Soler hit 36 home runs this past year, his highest total since 2019, he may feel more inclined to explore options on the free agent market. Both are very intriguing options for the Guardians but may ultimately be out of their price range.

Should Cleveland's front office shy away from making a bigger move, they may go back to their comfort zone, also known as the bargain bin. It would be an all-out disaster if the Guardians shy away from spending in free agency due to last season's failures. If this is the path they decide to take, their window to return to the postseason closes at that exact moment, and that is not what anyone wants to see.