Cleveland posted 88 wins and won the AL Central, despite a run differential of -6. They bowed out of the Wild Card round to Detroit, but still likely exceeded internal expectations through the 2025 campaign.

A Bright Spot
SP Gavin Williams. The 26-year-old took the reins as the latest homegrown developed ace, and is team-controlled for 4 more seasons. Can the Guardians get him to buy in on an early extension (Tanner Bibee signed a 5 year, $48M deal with 4 years of control remaining). Agent Scott Boras might make this a long shot request.

A Big Concern
Offense. Cleveland was near the bottom of the league in runs scored, power, and average. With much of the roster outlined for young, well-developed talent (and even more coming soon), the addition of a veteran MLB-ready bat or two could really vault this team into a new tier.

Related Links
2026 Guardians Financials
MLB Offseason Guides

Pending Free Agents

Junis made 57 appearances last season and should be considered for a return around the same $4.5M cost.

PLAYER MARKET VALUE
Jake Junis (RP, 33) $3.8M
Lane Thomas (OF, 30) $2.5M

Option Decisions

Means missed all of 2025 from Tommy John surgery.

PLAYER OPTION SALARY
John Means (SP, 32) $6M club option

Arbitration-Eligibility

Kwan has two more arbitration years ahead of him and hasn’t been thrilled with Cleveland’s extension offers to date. He’ll be floated in trade discussions this winter.

PLAYER PROJ. ARB SALARY
Steven Kwan (OF, 28) $8.5M
Ben Lively (SP, 34) $2.5M
Nolan Jones (OF, 28) $2M
Kolby Allard (RP, 28) $2M
Sam Hentges (RP, 29) $1.4M
David Fry (DH/C, 30) $1.25M
Matt Festa (RP, 33) $1.25M
Will Brennan (OF, 28) $1M

Guaranteed Salary

Ramirez has 3 years, $69M remaining on his latest extension and remains one of the most consistent all-around players in MLB. Bibee fell back down to earth a bit after 2 outstanding seasons to debut his career. It should also be noted that RP Emmanuel Clase ($6M) & P Luis Ortiz (pre-arbitration) remain on the restricted list as the league investigates their ties to an alleged gambling ring.

PLAYER CBT SALARY
José Ramírez (3B, 33) $20.1M
Tanner Bibee (SP, 27) $9.6M
Austin Hedges (C, 33) $4M
Trevor Stephan (RP, 39) $2.5M (buried)

Team Tax Projections

Cleveland dropped about $18M of CBT payroll from 2024-2025, and they head into the 2026 league year with a tax projection less than $90M ($155M of space). With so many young players primed for pivotal roles next season, it seems like the right winter for the Guardians to take a stab at one or more experienced (and subsequently expensive) bats.

Spotrac's 2026 MLB Offseason Previews