Regrading all the moves the Cleveland Guardians made last offseason 

While the Guardians didn’t make a big splash last offseason after making it all the way to the American League Championship Series, they still had a busy offseason through a variety of trades and free agent signings. 

With this year’s offseason set to begin next week, we decided to break out the red ink and regrade all of the moves the Guardians made in the lead up to the 2025 season. 

Regrading all the moves the Cleveland Guardians made last offseason 

Major league signings 

Shane Bieber (two-year, $26 million deal)

Bieber likely would have been traded at the deadline in 2024 had he not suffered a season-ending arm injury in April, so the Guardians elected to re-sign him to a two-year deal to cover his rehab process in the hopes he could come back healthy. 

And that’s exactly what happened. 

While Bieber never appeared in a game for the Guardians in 2025, he made five rehab appearances in the Guardians system before being traded to the Blue Jays at the deadline. 

He may end up winning a World Series with the Blue Jays, but the prospect the Guardians got for him (Khal Stephen) could end up becoming a long-term staple in the Guardians’ rotation. Bieber’s signing did exactly what it was supposed to do.

Grade: B+

Carlos Santana (one year, $12 million deal)

Santana’s one-year contract with the Guardians marked his third tenure with the club, but it ended up being a bit of a nothing burger. He still provided great defense and patience at the plate, but his .333 slugging percentage was among baseball’s worst for first baseman. 

Santana had a timeshare at first base with Kyle Manzardo before the Guardians cut bait with him at the end of August to turn the keys over to Manzardo. Santana was a valuable clubhouse presence but didn’t provide much on the field. 

Grade: D

Paul Sewald (one year, $7 million deal)

Sewald’s time with the Guardians was a disaster. He got a save on Opening Day but then struggled in April before going on the injured list with a shoulder injury. 

The Guardians ended up trading Sewald to the Tigers at the trade deadline, and he only made four appearances for Detroit before not appearing in the postseason. 

This signing didn’t really bring anything to the table. 

Grade: F

Jakob Junis (one year, $4.5 million deal)

The Guardians’ signing of Junis is the perfect counter to the Sewald signing. After working as a swingman with the Brewers and Reds in 2024, Junis worked as a full-time reliever for the Guardians in 2025 and posted a 2.97 ERA in 66 2/3 innings. 

He picked up some slack after Emmanuel Clase got suspended and ended up becoming one of Stephen Vogt’s most-trusted relievers by the end of the season. 

In fact, he did so good that he’s likely due for a raise in free agency that could result in him signing elsewhere.

Grade: A+ 

Austin Hedges (one-year, $4 million deal)

A deal so nice the Guardians did it twice. 

Hedges provided his trademark solid defense and clubhouse leadership while not really providing much at the plate. That skillset makes Hedges one of the best backup catchers in baseball, so it’s not a surprise that the Guardians already brought him back for 2026. 

Grade: B

John Means (one-year, $1 million deal with $6 million club option)

While Means went on a rehab assignment at the end of 2025, he never appeared in a major league game for the Guardians while recovering from Tommy John surgery. 

The Guardians are now faced with making a decision about Means’ $6 million club option for 2026, but the decision to bring him back is pretty clear. 

Grade: Incomplete 

Trades

Guardians acquire RHP Slade Cecconi and Competitive Balance Draft Pick (Round B) from D-backs in exchange for 1B Josh Naylor

The Guardians elected to pull the ripcord on Josh Naylor a year before free agency by trading him to the D-backs in exchange for Slade Cecconi, who was a bit of an unknown starter at the time of the deal. 

Cecconi ended up impressing in his first year in Cleveland and, more importantly, took the ball every fifth day. He won’t be a free agent until after 2030. The Guardians picked pitcher left-hander Will Hynes with the pick acquired in the deal.

Meanwhile, Naylor played well for the Diamondbacks and was traded to the Mariners at the trade deadline. He helped push Seattle to the American League Championship Series, and now is poised for a big payday in free agency. 

Grade: B

Guardians acquire RHP Luis Ortiz, LHP Josh Hartle, OF Nick Mitchell LHP Michael Kennedy in exchange for 2B Andrés Giménez, RHP Nick Sandlin and Spencer Horwitz

While this all technically happened in two moves, we grouped them all together. The Guardians kicked things off by acquiring Horwitz from the Blue Jays in exchange for Giménez and Sandlin. 

They then flipped Horwitz around to the Pirates in exchange for Ortiz, Hartle and Kennedy. Ortiz pitched well for the Guardians but is currently suspended as a part of a sports betting investigation and may never pitch for the Guardians again. 

While Hartle has pitched well in the minors, Ortiz’s suspension has turned this trade into a loss. 

Giménez struggled in the regular season with the Blue Jays but has become a solid run producer during Toronto’s run toward the World Series. Sandlin pitched well for the Blue Jays but missed most of the year due to injuries.

Grade: D+ 

Guardians acquire OF Alfonsin Rosario in exchange for RHP Eli Morgan 

Morgan turned into a solid bullpen arm for the Guardians, but Cleveland decided to capitalize on his value by trading him to the Cubs in exchange for Rosario, an unranked outfield prospect. 

Rosario has turned into one of the best hitting prospects in the Guardians’ system, while Morgan missed almost all of 2025 with an arm injury. 

A clear win for the Guardians. 

Grade: A

Guardians acquire cash considerations in exchange for OF Myles Straw 

Straw’s contract with Clevleand aged so poorly that he spent most of 2024 in Triple-A despite the Guardians paying him $5 million. 

The Guardians were able to get out from under his contract in the offseason by adding $2 million of international pool money to the deal so the Blue Jays could pursue Roki Sasaki.

The Blue Jays had been able to make the most of Straw’s skillset this year, even if they haven’t gotten much from him in the World Series. Even if Straw’s on the team in the World Series, the Guardians made the right move in shipping him out. 

Grade: B+