We have had a full offseason to complain about the Guardians – let’s be as optimistic as we can reasonably be.
I will list below the hitters I would like to see make the Guardians’ Opening Day roster and present the best case I can for them being part of a division-winning, World Series-contending team, and also include others who will hopefully play a role, also:
Bo Naylor – He turns out to have turned a corner and puts up something similar to his last 100 plate appearances in 2025: 105 wRC+, 22.1/6.7 K/BB%. His game-calling and blocking abilities improve and his pitch-framing gets back to 2024 levels.
Austin Hedges – His last 50 plate appearances in 2025 are a miraculous turnaround and he repeats the 82 wRC+ he put up for that magical six weeks, while continuing to be a defensive wizard.
David Fry – He is what he has been so far in his career, and returns to being able to play catcher, first base, right field and third base as needed. 110 wRC+, 26/8.9 K/BB% and a 128 wRC+ against LHP.
Kyle Manzardo – He gets to his 80th percentile ZiPS projections, having settled into an established role as a major leaguer: 130 wRC+ with a .267/.346/.497 slashline, finding some of the solid success he had against LHP in the minors, and he’s playable in about 200 innings at first base.
CJ Kayfus – Kayfus in his last month of playing time put up a 131 wRC+ with a 23/9.8 K/BB%. He finds a midway point between that and his overall number of 96 wRC+, which would be roughly 113 wRC+. He also hits LHP well, as he did in the minors, and plays a good defensive first base.
Brayan Rocchio – From September through the end of the playoffs, Rocchio put up a 100 wRC+ with a very sustainable 19/9 K/BB%. It turns out that is sticky and he manages to return to his gold glove form at shortstop from 2024.
Travis Bazzana – It turns out Bazzana comes back locked in and ready to get to his 80th percentile ZiPS projection while playing a solid second base, and gets his shot starting in early May: 107 wRC+ with a .246/.348/.403 slashline.
Gabriel Arias – For about his first 200 plate appearances in 2025, Arias put up a 90 wRC+ while playing good defense. He repeats that in a part-time role at second, short, third and even outfield on an emergency basis. AND the team recognizes that he isn’t a platoon bat and doesn’t just try to play him vs. lefties.
Jose Ramirez – Jose gives us one last glimpse of his absolute peak, getting back to his 2020 level for a season: 167 wRC+, .292/.387/.607, getting a 40/40/40 season, playing the elite third base he did from June-September, and securing that elusive MVP
Steven Kwan – Kwan is healthy and, so, able to get to his 80th percentile ZiPS projections: 122 wRC+ with a .311/.377/.419 slashline, while securing his fourth-straight gold glove in left field.
Nolan Jones – Jones turns out to have been dealing with a back issue last season that has resolved itself this offseason. That and his work at Driveline help him get to his 80th percentile ZiPS projection: 116 wRC+ and a .268/.351/.431 slashline. He also continues to play a solid centerfield.
Chase DeLauter – DeLauter is healthy enough to play 100 games in right field and center field and 20 or so at DH and manages to do fulfill on his minor league promise, getting to his 80th percentile ZiPS projections: 116 wRC+ with a .272/.338/.448 slashline.
Stuart Fairchild – Fairchild moves past his injury-plagued 2024-2025 and returns to more of his early career form, while playing a solid centerfield, putting up a 121 wRC+ against LHP.
Other names to monitor:
Daniel Schneemann – 80th percentile ZiPS projections while playing good defense all around the field: 104 wRC+, .248/.324/.425.
Angel Martinez – His career 121 wRC+ vs. LHP turns out to be sustainable and he takes big steps forward as an outfield defender (or at second base, if they try that).
George Valera – His performance last season was real and repeatable, and an offseason of additional rest allows him to be average in right field and hit RHP as a platoon there and at DH where needed to help manage the load for DeLauter, Manzardo and Kayfus: 113 wRC+, 27.1/14.6 K/BB%.
Juan Brito – Hits his 80th percentile ZiPS projections while playing an adequate second base and moving effectively to a bench role at 1B/RF/2B/3B, mostly against LHP which he has crushed in the minors: 107 wRC+, .249/.337/.417.
Johnathan Rodriguez – If Fry isn’t the real deal, Rodriguez gets DH opportunities and hits his OOPSY projection: 109 wRC+, 27.5/8.2 K/BB%, with a 120 wRC+ vs. LHP. The team doesn’t allow him to touch outfield grass.
The Rose-Colored Glasses Lineup:
1. Kwan LF – 122 wRC+
2. DeLauter RF – 116 wRC+
3. Jose 3B – 167 wRC+
4. Manzardo DH – 130 wRC+
5. Kayfus 1B – 113 wRC+
6. Jones CF – 116 wRC+
7. Bo C – 105 wRC+
8. Bazzana 2B – 107 wRC+
9. Rocchio SS – 100 wRC+
Bench:
Fry – 110 wRC+ (121 wRC+ vs. LHP)
Fairchild – 121 wRC+ vs. LHP
Arias – 90 wRC+
Hedges – 82 wRC+
(Valera 113 wRC+, Schneemann 104 wRC+, Martinez 121 wRC+ vs. LHP, Brito 107 wRC+, and Rodriguez 109 wRC+).
The Cleveland front office and Grant Fink get the last laugh, and we fans are happily eating crow while watching this team make a playoff run.
So, what do you think? Which of these optimistic projections is the least realistic (ok, it’s Hedges. Which is second-place?). Which of these optimistic projections isn’t optimistic enough? Let us know in the comments below.