How the Cleveland Guardians Plan to Boost Their Offense

The Cleveland Guardians are taking a pretty distinct approach to fixing their offense. Instead of chasing big-name free agents, they’re focusing on developing the young talent they’ve already got.

This whole plan comes from past free agent letdowns. The front office wants to see what their own guys can do at the major league level, but they’re open to changing things up if it doesn’t work out.

A New Philosophy for Cleveland’s Offense

They just won a division title, yet the Guardians aren’t making waves with flashy signings. It’s actually the opposite—they’re getting attention for *not* signing anyone big.

This is a real shift in how they’re trying to solve their offensive issues.

Learning from Past Missteps: Why No High-Profile Bats?

Guardians President Chris Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff have been upfront about their thinking. Basically, they’ve had enough of veteran signings that just don’t deliver.

Take Ramon Laureano, for example. He was supposed to be a difference-maker, but that didn’t happen.

Then there was Carlos Santana in 2025. His short-lived return—and quick release—made it clear how risky these moves can be. The front office even pointed out that his 455 plate appearances could’ve gone to younger players.

Josh Bell and Mike Zunino? More evidence that the free agent market often disappoints.

Chernoff said Cleveland has usually avoided the top-tier free agents, and these recent flops just reinforce that habit. He put it pretty bluntly: “We haven’t found consistent value in mid-tier veteran signings since Napoli and Rajai Davis in 2016,” which honestly sounds about right.

Trusting the Farm: Internal Development Takes Center Stage

The 2025 season was rough offensively, but something clicked late in the year. That turnaround really convinced the team to bet on their farm system.

The September Surge and its Implications

Most of 2025, the Guardians’ offense struggled. They ranked near the bottom in runs, OPS, and batting average. But in September, everything changed.

Fueled by a 20-8 finish, they shot up to sixth in runs and 14th in OPS that month. That surge helped them lock up a division title.

What made the difference? Two things stand out:

• Increased opportunities for prospects: The more playing time young guys got, the better they looked. It was noticeable.
• Avoiding blocking talent: The club’s now pretty set on not blocking their own prospects with short-term veterans. Why get in your own way?

Spotlight on Promising Young Bats

The Guardians have a strong farm system. Several prospects look ready to make a real impact soon.

The organization is counting on these young players to spark future offensive success.

• Chase DeLauter: A top-100 prospect (BA #34, MLBP #46). He’s impressed enough that folks see him as a potential opening-day center fielder when he’s healthy. His tools and growing talent put him right at the center of this new direction.
• George Valera: Another outfield prospect with a lot of hype. He’s shown flashes that make you think he could be something special.
• C.J. Kayfus: Scouts view him as a potential regular. Along with Kyle Manzardo, he probably would’ve gotten way more plate appearances if Santana hadn’t been around.
• Kyle Manzardo: A first baseman with a bat that’s turning heads. He’s expected to become a key contributor pretty soon.

The Guardians’ pipeline doesn’t stop there. Ralphy Velazquez (BA #56, MLBP #89), a 20-year-old catcher with real power, and 2024 first-rounder Travis Bazzana (BA #22, MLBP #20) add even more depth.

Bazzana’s battled some oblique injuries, but his work ethic is top-notch.

Honestly, the front office seems optimistic about internal growth boosting the offense. Still, they’re not kidding themselves—if things don’t pan out, they’ll look at the free agent market again. For now, though, Cleveland’s all-in on their own guys.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Will this work? The Guardians’ plan to add more oomph to the offense