There were many remarkable moments from the 2024 MLB Season. One of the best stories was the Cleveland Guardians and the success they had under newly appointed manager Stephen Vogt. Not only did the Guardians capture the AL Central Division crown but they also made their way to the ALCS.

It feels not long ago that “Big Christmas” Jhonkensy Noel hit the game tying home run in Game 3 of the ALCS. Pair that with David Fry hitting the walk off home run that sent the city of Cleveland into a frenzy. It was unfortunate that the Guardians could not reach the ultimate goal, but what a season it was to look back on. You’d think that the Guardians would try and build further upon the success that they had during 2024, but instead have made a plethora of puzzling moves that certainly question what exactly are they doing?

What Are the Guardians Doing?

You’d think the Guardians would look to build upon last season and make another push to the promise land. There was so much to be excited about when it comes to the Guardians. Steven Kwan came into his own and has continued his further development in his young career. Emmanuel Clase was not only a CY Young Finalist in the AL, but also helped spearhead the best bullpen in all of baseball during the 2024 season. Jose Ramirez continued to do Jose Ramirez like things and the supporting cast at the plate did enough to help get the job done. The AL Central is entirely up for grabs and now the biggest threat knocking on the door is the Kansas City Royals, who are striving to compete further and aren’t going away anytime soon. Instead, they’ve made two puzzling moves that leave fans scratching their heads.

The first domino to fall for the Guardians was trading second baseman Andres Gimenez to the Toronto Blue Jays. Gimenez is locked in to a contract until 2029 and makes $15.21 million. He does have an option in 2030. His play at the plate has certainly taken a dive the last two seasons. After hitting .297 in 2021, he’s hit .251 and .252 the last two years. Also, his OPS has significantly dropped the last two years, so the offense has not been there. However, he is without question the best defensive second baseman in the league. From 2020-24, Gimenez is second in defensive runs saved (58), and fourth in outs above average (50). Oh, and he’s 26 years old and is coming off winning two gold gloves in a row at second base.

The next domino that shocked many, was the Guardians trading Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Yes, it fills the need for the Diamondbacks who lost their first baseman to the Houston Astros. But for the Guardians, Naylor was an instrumental part of their success and anchored the first baseman position. Naylor also hit the second most home runs and drove in the second most runs among all Guardians qualified batters. Get this, Naylor is 27 years old.

May just be me, but trading away two players that are in their mid 20’s and are valuable assets does not seem like good business. Is there any way to justify the reasons behind these moves? Not sure, but we can try.

Trying to Make Sense Of It All

Trading away two players in their mid 20’s makes little sense. Not to mention, they are building blocks to your infield and also to the constructed roster. They make your team better and losing those players hurts more than helps.

One thing the Guardians have done is bring players on that are under team control and do not cost a lot financially. Spending money isn’t their cup of tea, and while that may be okay it is a tough pill to swallow for the fan base.

Maybe they felt paying Giminez that money to basically be a defensive second baseman was too much for them. They bring in a player (Spencer Horowitz) who they are familiar with and isn’t arbitration eligible until 2027. In his first full season with the Blue Jays, Horowitz slashed .265/.357/.433 and with a .790 OPS. His 127 wRC+ was significantly higher than Giminez. He finished with a -5 defensive runs saved, so there’s time for improvement. Only way to justify this, is cost efficient, which is a theme that plays out regarding Naylor.

Trading a 27 year old first baseman makes zero sense, and also a player that was extremely good for your ball club. Although, Naylor is a free agent after the 2025 season, which would mean the Guardians may have to pony up and pay the man. They did end up signing Carlos Santana, who is 38 years old for one year and $12.5 million. The bat is relatively similar to Naylor, but he did rank in the 97th percentile in outs above average. So essentially, it’s cheaper and they got better defensively and almost equal production at the plate. However, the Guardians eventually do need a legitimate first baseman after the 2025 season.

So, instead they trade him and to bolster their already stout bullpen. Instead of opting for just getting a compensation pick for potentially losing him in free agency, the Guardians gained assets.

Operating under this cost efficient system is fine and can work, but trading away two young valuable assets is a tough pill to swallow.

Guardians Fans, I Feel For You

The Guardians were a fun team to watch. Jose Ramirez remains one of the best third baseman in the game of baseball. Steven Kwan is a sensation on the field, winning two straight gold gloves. The bullpen is dynamite, but this team needs reinforcements. The Guardians now need to hope the replacements for the two pillars they moved deliver and they need pitching help in the worst way possible.

I believe the Guardians can be a playoff team and get back to the promise land. But what they are doing still is shocking and doesn’t make sense. Guardians fans, I feel for you and you didn’t deserve that one.