Can Angel Martinez become a regular in center field for the Guardians in 2026?




What are the five hottest spring-training battles for the Guardians? The week in baseball

Updated: Jan. 31, 2026, 10:00 a.m.|Published: Jan. 31, 2026, 7:47 a.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians have not sold a lot of tickets for the 2026 season based on the work they’ve done to improve an offense that last season hit .226 and barely averaged four runs per game.

In fact, they came right out and said as much on Thursday when they signed Jose Ramirez to a record-setting seven-year, $175 million contract extension. It was a feel-good moment for the franchise and one of the best players to wear a Cleveland uniform, but in reality, the move signals the franchise will rely on Ramirez to carry the offensive load again.

To be fair, the Guardians have won the AL Central in three of the last four years and six of the last 10. They’re doing something right, but it would be so much easier if they added a proven hitter or two.

[ Not going to be easy with all of the affordable options off the board. $5mill/year appears to be out of the question. All affordable "impact" players signed elsewhere. When it comes time to adding players, most likely, it would be too late. I think that train has already left the station]

Instead, they’re sticking with developing players such as Kyle Manzardo, Angel Martinez, Bo Naylor, Brayan Rocchio, Gabriel Arias and Daniel Schneemann to support Ramirez and All-Star left fielder Steven Kwan. They’re also committed to giving prospects Chase DeLauter, George Valera, C.J. Kayfus, Petey Halpin and Kahlil Watson an opportunity.

They are so open-minded that last year they let DeLauter make his big-league debut in Game 2 of the wild card series against Detroit. It was a first for a Cleveland player and he lost the first ball hit to him in center field.

Things are more settled on the pitching side of the roster. The starting rotation boasted six solid starters at the end of last season, while the bullpen has been the one area where the front office has been busy fortifying this winter.

Still, it is going to be another young team on what could be one of the franchise’s lowest payrolls in recent history. With youth comes opportunity and competition. With spring training starting on Feb. 10, here are five positions where the competition should be at its highest:




Guardians' center fielder Chase Delauter.J


Center field

Kwan, the four-time Gold Glove winning left fielder, is the only everyday outfielder on the roster. DeLauter, Martinez, Halpin, Schneemann, Watson and spring-training invitee Stuart Fairchild will compete for playing time in center.

Last year Martinez appeared in 114 games, including 87 starts, in center. The switch-hitting Martinez shouldn’t take too much comfort in those numbers. In 2024, Tyler Freeman appeared in 97 games in center, but was still traded right before the start of the 2025 season.

Right field

DeLauter, Valera, Kayfus and Nolan Jones are the leading candidates for playing time. They all hit left-handed.

Jones made 72 starts and 101 appearances in right field last year, but hit only .211 (75 for 355) with five homers and 34 RBI. DeLauter and Valera have shown flashes of offense in the minors, but have failed to stay healthy. Kayfus, a first baseman by trade, is still learning to play right field.




Guardians' first baseman C.J. Kayfus.


First base, DH

Manzardo, Kayfus and David Fry are the candidates for playing time. The Guardians want Manzardo to be a fixture in the lineup either at first base or DH. He finished last season with 27 homers and 70 RBI in 142 games. Kayfus, who hit .300 (95 for 317) with 14 homers, 54 RBI and a .930 OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus last year, played 44 games for the Guards last year. The right-handed hitting Fry, if he’s fully recovered from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, would give balance to both positions.

Fry, depending on his arm strength this spring, will also spend time at catcher.

Starting rotation

The Guardians started Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams and Slade Cecconi in the three-game wild card series against Detroit last year. That may be an indication of who the favorites are for the top three spots, but there’s going to be plenty of pushing and shoving this spring. Joey Cantillo, Logan Allen and rookie Parker Messick, all left-handers, pitched well last year.




Guardians' Cade Smith

Bullpen

Outside of closer Cade Smith and set-up man Hunter Gaddis, there’s mystery attached to the next six spots in the bullpen. Matt Festa (63 appearances) did a nice job last season. Lefty Tim Herrin (54 appearances) had an up and down season, while lefty Erik Sabrowski struck out 42 batters in 29 1/3 innings.

Meanwhile, the Guardians spent the offseason signing free agents Shawn Armstrong, Connor Brogdon and Colin Holderman. They added Rule 5 pick Payton Pallette and brought veterans Pedro Avila and Codi Heuer to camp on minor league deals. Whoever claims one of those six open spots will have earned it.

One more thing

Closer Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are still on the restricted list awaiting trial in May for conspiring with gamblers to throw rigged pitches. Andrew Walters (right lat) and Carlos Hernandez (auto accident) will not be ready to pitch in spring training. Trevor Stephan, still under contract, was invited to camp as a non-roster player as he completes his recovery from Tommy John surgery.






Former Guardians' right-hander Cal Quantrill.

Names to remember

RHP Cal Quantrill, 27-15 in four seasons with Cleveland, will be in big-league camp with Texas on a minor league deal.

RHP Eli Morgan, 18-12 in four years with the Guardians, will be in big-league camp with Kansas City this spring.

OF Daniel Johnson, who played 35 games for Cleveland in 2020 and 2021, will be in big-league camp with the Marlins on a minor league deal.

RHP Darren McCaughan, who pitched two games for the Guardians in 2024, will be in camp with the Reds on a minor league deal.

INF Will Wilson, who made his big league debut with the Guardians last year, will be in camp with Seattle on a minor league deal.

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Chase DeLauter could be Guardians opening day center fielder.




Will this work? The Guardians’ plan to add more oomph to the offense

Updated: Feb. 01, 2026, 6:01 a.m.|Published: Feb. 01, 2026, 6:00 a.m.

By Terry Pluto, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians apparently have no plans to add a veteran bat, at least via free agency.

“We need to get better offensively,” Guardians president Chris Antonetti said at the Jose Ramirez press conference. “But we believe that growth and development can come from the guys we have in the organization. If that proves to be incorrect, we’ll try to adjust over the course of the year.”

I talked with Guardians general manager Mike Chernoff about this subject.

“We don’t play (try to sign) top tier free agents,” Chernoff said. “Do you go to the level before that? Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”

For the most part, the Guardians say it hasn’t been an asset.




The Guardians gave Carlos Santana $12 million in 2025. They cut him at the end of August.




Signing Carlos Santana

None of the Guardians said so, but I believe the signing of Carlos Santana to a $12 million contract for 2025 is part of the reason they are staying out of the free agent market for veteran hitters on short-term deals.

The two seasons (2023-24) before Santana signed with Cleveland, Santana batted .239 (.748 OPS) and averaged 23 HR and 78 RBI. That production would have been a real asset to Cleveland last year.

But Santana batted .225 (.649 OPS) with 11 homers and 52 RBI. His defense at first base remained close to its 2024 Gold Glove level. But he was 39 as the 2025 season opened. His bat had slowed.

The Guardians released Santana on Aug. 29. He signed with the Cubs and was 2 for 19, mostly as a pinch hitter.

It wasn’t just Santana.

“We invested in veterans, none of them provided real value,” said Chernoff. “We won the (Central Division) title in 2022 and 2024, I’ll give you 100 bucks if you can name the free agents (hitters) we signed.”

In 2024, they signed Ramon Laureano for $5.1 million. He batted .143 (10 for 70) when he was cut by Cleveland. He looked hopeless at the plate.

Then he signed with Baltimore, and finished the season hitting .296 (.832 OPS) with 10 HR and 29 RBI in 226 plate appearances for the Orioles.

Chernoff’s point is you can look at several recent free agent signings of hitters and find names such as Josh Bell (2023), Mike Zunino (2023), Cesar Hernandez (2021) and Carlos Gonzalez (2019). It’s been a long time since they hit free agent gold with Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis, two veterans who helped them reach the 2016 World Series.




Edwin Encarnacion in 2017. Encarnacion had just signed what was then the richest contract in team history




The big swing

After winning the American League pennant in 2016, Cleveland signed Edwin Encarnacion to a three-year, $60 million deal. It was the largest contract in team history until Jose Ramirez signed his 2022 contract extension.

Mostly a DH, Encarnacion batted .252 (.848 OPS) and averaged 35 HR and 107 RBI in his two Cleveland seasons. The front office sensed his bat was slowing. They also wanted to dump the remaining $25 million on his contract.

Encarnacion was part of a three-team deal. Here’s how it breaks down:

1. Cleveland sent Encarnacion to Seattle.

2. Seattle sent Carlos Santana to Cleveland.

3. Tampa Bay sent $5 million to Seattle.

4. Tampa Bay sent $6 million and prospect Jake Bauers to Cleveland.

5. Cleveland sent Yandy Diaz to Tampa Bay along with pitcher Cole Sulser.

6. Long term, the deal helped Tampa Bay the most as Diaz is a career .291 hitter (.821 OPS) averaging 14 HR and 56 RBI in his seven seasons since the trade.

7. Santana made the 2019 All-Star team for Cleveland. He left Cleveland after the 2020 season as a free agent, signing with Kansas City. Then returned in 2025. He’s now a free agent and unsigned.

8. Bauers struggled with Cleveland and has played for several teams.

9. Sulser has pitched for several teams mostly in middle relief. He has a career 3.51 ERA and is now with Tampa Bay.

10. Encarnacion’s career faded after being traded by Cleveland. He bounced from Seattle to the Yankees and finally the White Sox. His last MLB season was in 2020.




C.J. Kayfus batted .288 for Cleveland in September.




What comes next?

“Our offense wasn’t good for most of the year,” Chernoff said. “In September, we were 13th in offense. It got better as we got younger.”

Checking Chernoff’s stats, the Guardians were No. 6 in runs scored in September out of 30 teams. They were 14th in OPS (.720). That’s a big reason they finished with a 20-8 record to win the Central Division title.

For the season, they ranked 28th in runs scored, 29th in OPS and 29th in batting average.

“One of our key goals was not to impede players with the most upside (from playing in Cleveland),” said Chernoff. “We saw a glimpse of what Chase DeLauter could do in the playoffs. George Valera and C.J. Kayfus also showed up pretty well at the end of the season.”

Valera batted .220 (.748 OPS) with two HR and five RBI in 16 games. He has a chance to claim right field. Like DeLauter, Valera has battled injuries. If DeLauter and Valera stay reasonably healthy, that could answer some important outfield questions.

The Guardians gave 455 plate appearances to Santana. They now believe it would have been wiser to hand those at-bats to C.J. Kayfus and Kyle Manzardo. Early in the season, Manzardo was sometimes platooned.

In September, Kayfus batted .286 (.888 OPS). He has a chance to win the right field job. He also is a good first baseman.




Ralphy Velazquez is one of the best hitters in Cleveland's minor league system.




Wave of prospects

“You can look at the various top 100 (prospect) ratings and we have five or six guys in all of them,” Chernoff said. “Most are position players in the top levels of the minors.”

DeLauter is the gem. He has only 583 pro plate appearances, hitting .307 (.888 OPS) with 20 homers. He debuted in the majors in the wild card series vs. Detroit. He was 1 for 6.

DeLauter has dealt with foot and other injuries. He’s had 176 plate appearances in Class AAA, batting .282 (.903 OPS) with seven HR. He could be the opening-day center fielder. He ranks No. 34 by Baseball America and No. 46 by MLB Pipeline among the majors top 100 prospects.

I’m intrigued by Ralphy Velazquez (No. 56 by Baseball America, No. 89 by MLB Pipeline). The first baseman hit .265 (.839 OPS) with 22 HR between Class A and Class AA. I saw the 20-year old lefty hitter at Class AA Akron. He batted .330 (.994 OPS) as he played 28 games for the Rubber Ducks to finish the season.

“Ralphy has a combination of great swing decisions and tremendous power,” said Chernoff. “That’s rare.”

Then there’s Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft. He is ranked No. 22 by Baseball America and No. 20 by MLB Pipeline.

Bazzana had a rocky 2025 season, marred by injuries. The second baseman pulled oblique muscles … twice. Between Class AA and AAA, he batted .245 (.813 OPS) with nine HR and 39 RBI in 374 plate appearances.

“We are hopeful he’s one of those players who can impact the team (this year),” said Chernoff. “He’s one of the best workers I’ve ever seen in my life. We know he’ll come in prepared.”

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Guardians officially have the lowest payroll in MLB

Billy Heyen

19 hours ago

The Cleveland Guardians generated some goodwill among the fanbase with the recent contract extension news for Jose Ramirez.

The reality is that the Guardians aren't exactly shelling out the cash, though

As of Saturday night, Jan. 31, the Guardians have the lowest cash payroll in baseball.

That did belong to the Chicago White Sox, but they signed Austin Hays on Saturday to move out of the basement.

Here's how the list looks now, via Spotrac's charts:






This is a common complaint for the Guardians, who find a way to be competitive every year despite ranking near the bottom in payroll every season.

Right now, the Guardians are a decent amount lower in payroll than they were last season, and that's still with the books reflecting more than $6 million for Emmanuel Clase that almost surely isn't going to end up being paid.

There aren't a ton of major free agents left, so it's not even like there's a lot of money the Guardians could shell out if they wanted to.

And to be clear -- there's no indication from reporters that Cleveland is pursuing anyone.

This is what the team is at this point. It's up to the players the Guardians have to make the most of what's in the clubhouse, because it isn't getting much of an upgrade.

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Mariners Sign Former Guardians Infielder

February 1, 2026

By Jimmy Swartz

The Cleveland Guardians saw another former member of their organization land a new opportunity.

According to a report from Guardians Prospective, Will Wilson has signed a minor league contract with an invite to Major League Spring Training with the Seattle Mariners for the 2026 season.

“Former Cleveland #Guardians INF Will Wilson has signed a minor league contract with invite to MLB spring training with the Mariners for the 2026 season,” the account posted.

Wilson, 26, spent parts of the last several years working his way through Cleveland’s farm system, serving primarily as a middle infielder with experience at both shortstop and second base. While he never quite broke through at the big-league level in a consistent role, he quietly put together some solid stretches in the minors.

Last season with Triple-A Columbus Clippers, Wilson showed flashes of offensive production, finishing with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs while posting an OPS north of .750 across 70 games. That kind of pop, paired with defensive versatility, tends to keep players on radars around the league.

He also got a brief look in Cleveland, appearing in 34 major league games, but struggled to find his footing offensively. Like many young hitters making the jump, consistency proved difficult against big-league pitching.

Still, the tools have always been intriguing.

Wilson has long been viewed as a player who can do a little bit of everything. He’s not necessarily going to anchor a lineup, but he can move around the infield, provide depth, and chip in with occasional power. For a team like Seattle looking to bolster competition in camp, that profile makes plenty of sense.

From the Guardians’ perspective, this is another example of how deep their infield pipeline has been. Between established pieces at the big-league level and a wave of prospects pushing behind them, roster spots simply became harder to come by. Sometimes that means players get squeezed out despite being capable contributors.

A spring training invite gives Wilson a legitimate chance to impress. A strong camp could earn him a bench role or at least put him first in line if the Mariners need reinforcements during the season.

These types of moves rarely make major headlines, but they’re part of the baseball cycle. Players move on, new opportunities pop up, and sometimes a change of scenery is exactly what’s needed.

For Wilson, Seattle now represents that next chance.

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[ Man! trying to find articles concerning the Guardians is like trying to find a needle in a hay stack. Only news related to the Guardians is what players are moving on to greener pastures or what our rivals are up to. The bulk of that news can be found in the "other teams" folder.That image of Wil Wilson kind of sums it up for this off season's news. ]

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Guardians’ decision to pass on proven power bats raises questions

Published: Feb. 02, 2026, 12:08 p.m.

By Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — On a recent episode of the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, beat reporters Paul Hoynes and Joe Noga dissected the Guardians’ puzzling approach to addressing their offensive struggles. While other teams around the league were scooping up affordable power bats, Cleveland’s front office remained committed to their internal options despite coming off a season with historically anemic offense.

The podcast discussion examined recent signings around the league, particularly Eugenio Suarez (one year, $15 million to Cincinnati) and Austin Hayes (one year, $6 million to Chicago). These moves struck a nerve with the beat writers covering a Cleveland team that desperately needed offensive firepower.

“Both of those signings sort of make you take a step back, look at it and from a Guardians fans perspective and say, ‘Boy, the Guardians could have offered at least that much for these guys,’” Noga said. “You couldn’t have found room or a spot on your lineup for 49 home runs at $15 million for one year.”

The frustration is understandable given Cleveland’s offensive struggles last season. The team barely averaged four runs per game and hit a paltry .226, the lowest batting average in franchise history. Adding established power bats like Suarez, who blasted 49 home runs between Arizona and Seattle last season, could have immediately addressed those shortcomings.

Hoynes echoed this sentiment, highlighting the team’s financial flexibility: “It just seems like you could have solved this problem right now and you’ve got the payroll on hand. You’ve only got like a $74 million projected payroll right now. You could have fit these guys on there.”

What makes the situation particularly perplexing is that Cleveland could have afforded both players. As Noga pointed out, “They could have signed them both, answered and addressed a lot of issues with their offense all at once.”

Instead, Cleveland is taking a different approach. Following comments from President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti last week during Jose Ramirez’s contract announcement, the organization seems fully committed to giving their young talent extended opportunities.

“They have chosen a different path, and we’re going to have to see where this path leads in 2026,” Hoynes remarked during the podcast.

The front office’s strategy appears to hinge on the development of prospects like Kyle Manzardo, Brayan Rocchio, and even veterans like Nolan Jones. If these young players thrive early, the decision to pass on established bats might be vindicated. However, if they struggle, questions will intensify about why Cleveland didn’t address obvious needs when affordable options were available.

Antonetti has suggested the team could pivot mid-season if needed, but as the podcast hosts discussed, acquiring players like Suarez or Hayes later would likely require trading prospects — something the Guardians have historically been reluctant to do.

For now, fans will have to wait and see if the front office’s faith in their young talent will pay off or if passing on these power bats will prove to be a missed opportunity in a winnable AL Central.

Want to hear the full debate about the Guardians’ offseason strategy? Listen to the complete Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast episode for more insights from Noga and Hoynes on the team’s approach heading into spring training.

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Note Milwaukee spends little more than Cleveland and has similar success. Two very well-managed organizations.

Can't copy an article from the Athletic, ranking big league starters on some statistical basis of their "Stuff"

150 are listed; Cleveland guys are:

Williams 46
Bibee 48
Cantillo 63 [also noted as having the biggest gain in Stuff from season to season.
Cicconi 117
Allen didn't make the grade

Yeah! You need a subscription.

Guardians have cast their lot with their own hitters for 2026: Paul Hoynes

Updated: Feb. 03, 2026, 3:25 p.m.|Published: Feb. 03, 2026, 9:25 a.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians have made their plans for scoring runs in 2026 clear. They’re sticking with the players that produced one of the worst offenses in the big leagues last year.

These are the players they drafted, signed, developed or acquired through free agency or trades.

Many of them helped the Guards win two of the last three AL Central titles. In their way of thinking, it makes sense to stand by them for another year as they develop.

On the other hand, those players did hit .226 as a team, barely averaged four runs per game and finished the season with a negative run differential.

They needed the biggest comeback in MLB history and an epic collapse by the Tigers to win the Central on the last day of the regular season. It seems safe to say we will not see a repeat of that in 2026.

Guardians pitchers and catchers, at least those not involved in the World Baseball Classic, report to Goodyear, Arizona, on Feb. 10 for spring training. There will be new faces, especially among the relievers, but the position players will mostly be the same because that’s the way the front office planned it.

Over the weekend, Cincinnati signed third baseman Eugenio Suarez to a one-year $15 million deal, while the White Sox, one of Cleveland’s rivals in the AL Central, signed outfielder Austin Hays to one-year $6 million deal.

They are both right-handed hitters, who could have helped balance the lefty-leaning Guardians lineup. The Guardians, based on their projected 26-man payroll, could have signed both players and still been below last year’s opening-day payroll of just under $100 million.

Suarez hit 49 homers and drove in 118 runs last year for Arizona and Seattle. He struck out 196 times, but 49 homers and 118 RBI for $15 million is a steal in MLB’s overheated salary structure.

The key to the equation was Suarez’s bat. He hit .228 (134 for 588) last season, but his power numbers and a .824 OPS added thump. He hit .252 (108 for 429) with 36 homers and 95 RBI against righties and .164 (26 for 159) with 13 homers and 23 RBI against lefties.

Other than Ramirez and Kyle Manzardo, who hit 30 and 27 homers, respectively, last year, no other Cleveland player hit more than 14 homers.

Suarez would have been a nice fit in the fourth or fifth spot in Cleveland’s lineup, but he’s returning to Cincinnati where he played seven years from 2015-21. He is expected to get most of his at-bats at DH because the Reds have Gold Glover Ke’Bryan Hayes at third base.

The Guardians have eight outfielders on the 40-man roster, and six of them bat left-handed. Hays could have been a nice platoon option in center or right field.

Last season for Cincinnati, he hit .266 (101 for 380) with 15 homers, 64 RBI in 103 games.He hit .249 (72 for 284) with 13 homers, 47 RBI and a .708 OPS against right-handers and .319 (25 for 91) with two homers, 17 RBI and a .819 OPS against lefties.

Hays is a career .282 (208 for 733) hitter against lefties.

The Guardians haven’t had a lot of luck recently with the free agents they’ve signed. It’s been a while since they’ve received the kind of return that Mike Napoli or Jason Giambi gave them.

Is that the main reason they ignored an offense that finished 28th in runs, 29th in batting average and 29th in OPS last year? Is that why they’ve decided to hand their core position players the reins to the offense this season?

Probably, but the expiration of the basic agreement after the 2026 season and a possible change in ownership from Paul Dolan to minority owner David Blitzer might be playing a role as well.

The one thing that can’t be denied is that players like Manzardo, Gabriel Arias, C.J. Kayfus, Angel Martinez, Nolan Jones, Bo Naylor, Brayan Rocchio, Johnathan Rodriguez, Daniel Schneemann and George Valera are getting an opportunity that may never come their way again.

What they do with it will be there for all to see in a season that opens on March 26.

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Jones, Schneeman and Rodriguez didn't prove much last year

Jones 211/296/304. He'll be 28 in May
Rodriguez 197/260/360 He's 26
Schneemann 206/283/354. He's 29. Post All Star Game: 194/268/309


Don't overrate David Fry expecations. Age 30
2025: 171/229/363
Post All Star 2024: 237/303/420

Hopes are valid for Kayfus, Martinez, and the untested Valera and DeLauter

Does the Framber Valdez signing makes Detroit the new beasts of the AL Central?

Published: Feb. 05, 2026, 12:16 p.m.

By Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio —

The Tigers have officially crashed the Guardians’ AL Central party, and they’re making a statement that should have Cleveland worried. By signing lefty Framber Valdez to a three-year, $115 million deal, Detroit has potentially created a rotation nightmare for division rivals – especially the Guards.

Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com’s veteran Guardians beat reporter, didn’t mince words about what this means for the division race: “You’ve got Framber, you’ve still got Skubal for at least a year if you keep him. I think they’re going for it this season. That’s a pretty good 1-2 punch in a rotation that also includes Jack Flaherty. If they don’t move Skubal, that makes them the favorite headed into the season to win the division.”

The timing of this acquisition is particularly interesting as it comes while Detroit is locked in an arbitration hearing with their ace Tarik Skubal. Rather than signaling a potential Skubal trade, the Valdez signing might indicate Detroit is loading up for a serious push in 2026.

For Cleveland specifically, this move creates a matchup nightmare. Valdez has absolutely owned the Guardians throughout his career. As Joe Noga pointed out in the podcast: “He’s 5-0 in his career against the Guardians in four starts, 31 1/3 innings, 22 strikeouts. He’s allowed nine walks and only two home runs in those 31 1/3 innings.”

That dominance compounds an existing problem for Cleveland: their struggles against left-handed pitching. Hoynes noted: “We saw the Guardians struggle against Skubal. If they got a hit off him, if they got a run off him, it was a reason for celebration. They have trouble against left handed pitchers, and they didn’t do a whole lot to add a right handed hitter or a couple right handed hitters to counteract that.”

The Tigers’ potential rotation now features two elite lefties who have historically dominated Cleveland, plus Jack Flaherty. This creates a scenario where Tigers manager A.J. Hinch can strategically line up his rotation for divisional matchups, ensuring the Guardians face their most challenging opponents more frequently.

While Detroit’s other offseason moves had flown under the radar – adding an aging Kenley Jansen (who still saved 29 games last year) and retaining Gleyber Torres – the Valdez signing signals that the Tigers are serious about contending now. It represents a dramatic shift in the AL Central power balance.

For Cleveland fans, the concern is legitimate. The Guardians may have narrowly won the season series against Detroit last year (8-5), but as Hoynes recalled: “every game was 2-1 or 3-1. They were all very close, very competitive games.” Adding Valdez to that equation tilts those close games in Detroit’s favor.

Want to hear more about how the Framber Valdez signing reshapes the AL Central race and what it means for the Guardians’ chances in 2026? Listen to the full Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast episode where Joe Noga and Paul Hoynes break down all the implications of this game-changing move.

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Bombshell court filing reveals Emmanuel Clase’s pitch-fixing scandal far worse than first reported

Published: Feb. 06, 2026, 11:48 a.m.

By Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Emmanuel Clase pitch-fixing scandal took a dramatic turn Thursday, with new court documents revealing the Guardians closer allegedly fixed pitches in a staggering 48 games over two years – more than five times the number initially reported.

The bombshell revelation came in a federal court filing by co-defendant Luis Ortiz’s legal team, who are seeking to separate their client’s case from Clase’s increasingly toxic legal situation. As cleveland.com’s Joe Noga and Paul Hoynes discussed on the latest Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, the scope of the allegations against Clase has expanded exponentially since the initial charges.

“Clase is accused of fixing pitches in 48 different games over the course of two years. Whereas back in November when the charges were originally unsealed, there were nine games that he had thrown fixed pitches in,” explained Noga during the podcast.

The court proceedings also contained another shocking detail: prosecutors have identified “at least 250 pitches on which bets were placed” according to Hoynes, who noted this is “an amazing number of pitches, especially for a closer and an efficient closer who kind of lives by the 10-13 pitch inning.”

Ortiz’s legal strategy hinges on the vast disparity between his alleged involvement and Clase’s. While Clase appeared in 197 games during the investigation period and is accused of fixing pitches in 48 of them, Ortiz made only 16 starts for Cleveland in 2025 and is accused in just two games.

The financial motive remains perplexing, as the total amount allegedly won through the scheme was around $460,000 – a fraction of Clase’s $6 million salary. As Noga points out, “It doesn’t make any sense to me why he was involved in this other than maybe the thrill of being able to do it.”

Perhaps most concerning for Cleveland fans is the possibility that some of those compromised games might have included playoff appearances. “If we find out that any of these now 48 games that he pitched in involved the fixed pitches. If any of those 48 games were postseason games, where does this put him on the list of all-time most vilified people in Cleveland?” Noga asked during the podcast.

Hoynes agreed with the gravity of such a scenario: “Oh, my goodness... Are we just waiting for the other shoe to drop? Anything is possible right now. This still may be the tip of the iceberg.”

With the case expanding so dramatically, nothing seems certain anymore.

Hoynes put Clase’s dramatic rise and fall into perspective: “Just think where this guy came from. They get him from Texas, for Corey Kluber. This is a guy that’s a million to one shot. All of a sudden this guy’s like a roman candle. He shoots off into space, he saves all these games and then he brings himself down.”

The trial is scheduled for May, though Ortiz’s legal team may seek a delay. Whatever the outcome of the criminal proceedings, MLB is almost certain to impose lifetime bans similar to those handed down in the Black Sox scandal, where eight players received baseball’s ultimate punishment despite varying degrees of involvement.

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Guardians Ace Predicted To Sign 6-Year, $90 Million Deal After Career Year

By Zach Pressnell Newsweek Updated February 6, 2026 5:19 AM

The Cleveland Guardians signed their superstar infielder Jose Ramirez to a massive contract extension this offseason, but they might not be done there.

Cleveland isn’t the kind of team that can afford to sign the big names in free agency. As a result, it has to build its team through the farm system, which is why it’s crucial to sign top prospects to contract extensions before they can get to free agency.

Just Baseball’s Shaan Donohue predicted the Guardians would sign their ace, Gavin Williams, to a huge six-year, $90 million contract extension over the coming months.

“Pitcher extensions are notoriously risky, but not all risk is equal. The key is how the contract handles downside, not whether downside exists,” Donohue wrote. “Gavin Williams has the kind of front-line arsenal teams are willing to build around: two elite breaking balls that suppress quality of contact, a mid-to-upper-90s fastball with extreme extension from a low release slot, and the physical frame to carry innings.”

Williams is the kind of pitcher that the Guardians could build their rotation around for the next few years. They could certainly afford to pay him less than $20 million per season for each of the next six years if that means he’ll continue to produce ace-level results at the big league level.

While his FIP was over a run higher than his ERA last season, the Guardians shouldn’t be too concerned about it. Williams has the potential to be a star ace, and the Guardians should be willing to bet on that by giving him a new contract.

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Guardians’ Tanner Bibee decision looks better after Tarik Skubal arbitration ruling

By Henry Palattella

Feb 6, 2026

For most of the past three seasons, Tanner Bibee and Tarik Skubal have ranked as two of the best starting pitchers in the American League Central.

While Skubal stands above Bibee in on field production thanks to the fact that he’s won back-to-back American League Cy Youngs, there’s no denying the Guardians are in a better spot with their payroll thanks to their decision to ink Bibee to a five-year, $48 million extension last spring.

While that statement was true all of last season, it became even more true on Thursday thanks to Skubal winning his arbitration case against the Tigers, which means that he’s going to make $32 million next season before hitting free agency.

@JeffPassan
BREAKING: Two-time reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal won his arbitration case and will make $32 million this year, sources tell ESPN. Skubal’s bet to go for the largest salary ever in the arbitration system paid off, as he’ll make $13M more than Tigers argued.

And don’t get us wrong. The Tigers having Skubal on their roster is a clear win since he’s the best pitcher in baseball and got some huge help on Wednesday thanks to the Tigers signing Framber Valdez in free agency.

But Skubal’s record-setting arbitration hearing shows that he’s going to seek a record-setting contract next winter, and it’s hard to believe the Tigers are going to be the ones to give it to him.

The Guardians were smart to jump the Tarik Skubal line with Tanner Bibee’s extension

Skubal’s arbitration settlement is historic for a variety of reasons. Not only is it significantly higher than the $19.75 salary that David Price settled on with the Red Sox for 2015 (which used to be the record for pitchers), but it’s $1 million higher than the $31 salary that Juan Soto signed with the Yankees ahead of 2024. The Tigers had submitted a figure of $19 million.

Since Skubal has five-plus years of service time, he and his agent Scott Boras could compare his situation and salary to any MLB player, not just part arbitration-eligible players (which is the usual precedent).

And Skubal’s in an incredibly unique situation given he’s compiled a 2.30 ERA in 387 1/3 innings across the past two seasons while winning those aforementioned Cy Young awards.

And while not every pitcher who goes through arbitration will have two Cy Young wins under their belt like Skubal, this ruling sets a new precedent for arbitration-eligible pitchers with five-plus years of service time.

Bibee’s only at three years of service time (which seems hard to believe given how much of a mainstay he’s been with the Guardians), so there’s an alternate universe where he and the Guardians are duking it out over an extremely-high arbitration figure two winters from now thanks to Skubal’s precedent.

Instead, they already know they’re going to pay Bibee $10.4 million at that juncture in his career thanks to a slightly blow-market extension that looks better by the day (even if he had an up-and-down 2025).

That’s a clear win for the Guardians.

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