Predicting how different the Guardians roster could look after the trade deadline

The trade deadline always brings about change to MLB rosters, and the 2025 Cleveland Guardians are going to be no exception.

While the makeup of their roster has already changed thanks to Emmanuel Clase’s suspension, the next 48 hours seem destined to bring about a variety of changes to the roster. 

Here’s how we think it will go. 

Predicting how different the Guardians roster could look after the trade deadline

Catcher
Bo Naylor and Austin Hedges 

Don’t expect a lot of change here. Naylor’s beginning to put things together after a bit of a sluggish start to the season, and he isn't eligible for arbitration until 2027. 

While there’s always a chance some team will decide to add Hedges for his veteran presence, he’s hitting just .131 in 115 at-bats. If the Guardians do lose Hedges, Cooper Ingle seems like the natural fit to replace him on the roster. He’s hit .266 with nine home runs and 43 RBI in 82 games this year at Double-A Akron, though he'd need to be added to the 40-man roster. 

If the team elects to keep Ingle in the minors, Dom Núñez is at Triple-A and on the 40-man roster. 

Predication: No change, but at least one more player gets playing time at catcher this year.

First base
Carlos Santana, Kyle Manzardo and David Fry

This seems like a position where things could change. Even if Santana likely doesn’t have the same kind of trade clout he had earlier in the year, he still has some value thanks to his defense and eye at the plate. 

But getting rid of Santana would be about getting Manzardo more playing time as much as it would be about getting some value for Santana. Manzardo’s been stuck in an odd time-share with Santana all year but has been heating up lately, as evidenced by his two homer game on Wednesday.

The Guardians seem destined to be a big seller over the next 48 hours thanks to Emmanuel Clase’s suspension, but a trade of Santana seemed likely even in the best of times. 

If the Guardians do elect to trade Santana, they have a replacement waiting in the wings in the form of prospect CJ Kayfus, who is hitting .299 with 14 home runs and 54 RBI in 84 games. He may not be a good platoon partner with Manzardo, but that’s a problem you figure out later. 

We also included Fry here, though he’s served solely as designated hitter since returning earlier this year. The Guardians love his versatility and right-handed swing, so it would be shocking to see them trade him while his value is at its lowest. 

Predication: Santana gets dealt for cash considerations and Kayfus makes his MLB debut at some point this year — either right after the deadline or when rosters expand in September.

Middle infield
Daniel Schneemann, Brayan Rocchio, Gabriel Arias and Angel Martínez

What an interesting group of players. Arias and Schneemann are both super utility players who have played all over the infield even if their bats have been a bit lacking. The same can be said for Martínez, though he’s spent most of the year in the outfield due to a variety of injuries. 

There hasn’t been any reporting about these three going anywhere, but there are always some interesting names floated in trade talks that we don't know about until a deal is done.

The only “binary” infielder in this group is Rocchio, who has appeared at shortstop in 57 of the 61 games he’s played in this year. 

He struggled at the start of the year (so much so that he was demoted to Triple-A), but he’s slashed .273/.321./.455 in 77 at-bats since being recalled at the beginning of July. 

It’s also worth noting the  Guardians have done a poor job of building up their middle-infield depth, so there aren’t a ton of obvious replacements within the organization.

Prediction: The Guardians offer a surprise and deal at least one player from their middle infield depth, but also add a player to the mix through a trade. 

Third base
José Ramírez

Next!

Outfield
Steven Kwan, Lane Thomas, Nolan Jones and Martínez

Kwan has become a mainstay in this year’s trade rumors, especially after Clase’s suspension. He’s a two-time All-Star who is just as good at the plate as he is in the field, and he still has multiple years of team control left. 

The Guardians would need to be blown away to deal Kwan, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t happen. 

All of the trade buzz Thomas generated earlier this year has fallen away thanks to some poor play when he’s been on the field and injuries that have kept him off it. He’s currently on the 10-day injured list with plantar fasciitis and won’t be back any time soon, so the Guardians will be getting pennies on the dollar if they trade him. 

The same can be said for Jones, who the Guardians acquired in trade with the Rockies prior to the season. 

Outside of Kwan, it’s not a very inspiring group. 

Prediction: Thomas is sent somewhere as a part of a trade deadline package, but Kwan stays… for now. 

Starting rotation
Tanner Bibee, Slade Cecconi, Logan Allen, Joey Cantillo, Shane Bieber and John Means 

Bieber is the crown jewel here despite having not thrown a major league pitch since April 2024. He struck out seven batters over four innings in his rehab start on July 30, will that be enough for some team to overpay for him?

It would be hard to imagine a world where Bibee (who the Guardians inked to an extension in the offseason), Means (who is rehabbing from Tommy John) or Cecconi (who they acquired in a trade in the offseason) are dealt. 

Allen is a bit of a Wild Card. He’s been pitching better as of late, but still is a soft-tossing lefty with the ceiling of a No. 3 starter. He wouldn’t net much by himself, but he would be a solid sweetener in a trade package. 

Prediction: Bieber gets traded to a National League team and his spot in the rotation is taken by Parker Messick.

Bullpen
Cade Smith, Jakob Junis, Matt Festa, Kolby Allard, Hunter Gaddis, Tim Herrin, Erik Sabrowski, Nic Enright and Paul Sewald 

Clase was becoming a big part of this year’s trade rumors prior to getting suspended, so now the Guardians (and the rest of the trade market) are trying to pick up the pieces. 

The Guardians are going with a closer by committee for the time being ( Smith got the first crack at earning a save in the post-Clase world and failed), but that shouldn’t stop them from dealing some of the veterans in their bullpen. 

Junis (3.35 ERA in 43 innings) seems like a lock to get dealt, whereas Sewald (4.70 ERA in 15 1/3 innings) could still get moved despite being on the injured list. 

The Guardians still have a good bullpen core in Smith, Gaddis and Sabrowski, trading some of the extra pieces makes sense. 

Prediction: At least two bullpen pieces are moved.