It has been a quiet start to the offseason for the Guardians. Their only notable moves have been the trade of middle reliever to the Cubs and the return of backup catcher on a $4MM free agent deal. As the Brock Burke Jersey Winter Meetings approach, Clevelands front office is monitoring the market for a potential outfield acquisition. President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti tells that the Guardians are open to adding a complementary player on the gra s. is one of the games best left fielders. The other two outfield spots are more open. played a good amount of center field after the Guardians acquired him from Washington in a deadline deal. Hes stretched defensively up the middle. Ideally, Thomas would slot into right field. The Guards dont have many internal options who could take everyday playing time in center. If theyre to bump Thomas into a corner, theyll probably need to add a center fielder. The free agent cla s at the position is very weak. is the only player who projects as even a low-end regular. and are glove-first options who could be available on the trade market. None of them are going to provide much offense, but theyd upgrade Clevelands outfield defense. The Guardians are also likely to receive some trade calls regarding Thomas. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects Thomas for an $8.3MM salary in his final season of arbitration eligibility. Thats a decent sum for a low-payroll franchise, but the Guardians relinquished a solid prospect return to land Thomas a few months ago. Theyd get a le ser package back after he struggled down the stretch (timely postseason home runs aside), and a trade would leave them with two question marks in the outfield. If the Guardians stick with Thomas in center field, theyd have some combination of , and in right field. Noel has monster power but strikes out a ton. Hes a better runner than one might expect given his 63, 250-pound frame, but he might be stretched defensively as an everyday outfielder. Neither Brennan nor Schneemann has demonstrated much offensive upside. , and are all on the 40-man roster but have little to no big league experience. Top prospect could be a midseason upgrade. An Opening Day call would be a longer shot. DeLauter has battled injuries in his minor league career and has only appeared in 42 games above High-A, just six of which have come at the Triple-A level. Theres a decent amount of depth in the free agent corner outfield cla s. , and are all potential regulars who are likely to be limited to one or two years. They all hit left-handed, but a righty bat could better fit the search for a complementary player. Brennan and Schneemann each hit from the left side, as does DeLauter. (Noel is a righty.) or recent non-tenders and could occupy short-side platoon roles. They could pair with Brennan or Schneemann early in the season while allowing Stephen Vogt to shield DeLauter from tough left-handed pitching if he earns a big league look later in the year. Nolan Schanuel Jersey
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