The Cleveland Guardians are not typically known for spending big money, as evidenced by the fact that they rank 23rd in the MLB in payroll this season.
Because of this, the Guardians are never really big on free agents and generally have to rely on smart and inexpensive signings to complete their roster.
For this reason, New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo would be a perfect target for Cleveland as a free agent this coming offseason.
Verdugo signed a one-year deal with the Yankees last winter and almost certainly won’t return to New York next season unless he wants to accept a fourth outfielder position. The Yanks will likely re-sign Juan Soto, and with Jasson Dominguez almost guaranteed to be on the roster in 2025, Verdugo is the odd man out.
Enter the Guardians, who could certainly use the agile Verdugo in their outfield.
Verdugo has had a somewhat down year as a hitter, sporting a batting average of .237/.297/.368 with 10 home runs and 52 RBI in over 500 at-bats. However, he has a respectable batting average line of .274/.330/.419 and consistently hits double-digit home runs each season.
It should also be noted that Verdugo’s peripherals show that he’s been pretty unlucky in 2024, as his BABIP of .259 is well below his career BABIP average of .304 (and also well below the league average of .290). The only concern is that his line drive percentage (16.9 percent) has dropped from his career average of 20.7 percent, which could explain the low BABIP.
Regardless, Verdugo is only 28 years old, so it’s hard to imagine his racket giving up the ghost so quickly.
But Verdugo’s real attraction is his glove. Verdugo is one of the better defensive outfielders in baseball, as evidenced by his 6.5 UZR/150 and 5 DRS this year. He can also play all three outfield positions, although he’s more suited to the corner positions.
One of Cleveland’s biggest weaknesses this season has been its outfield performance, as both Tyler Freeman and Will Brennan have struggled. Additionally, the trade deadline signing of Lane Thomas has been a bust so far, and Steven Kwan has slumped in recent months after a bright start to the season.
The Guardians have gotten a new boost from rookie outfielder Jhonkensy Noel, but whether he can maintain his performance remains to be seen. And even if he does, Cleveland still needs more players.
Verdugo will likely be very affordable. He signed an $8.7 million contract with the Yankees for 2024, and given his poor performance this season, he almost certainly won’t get more next year.
The player from Tucson, Arizona, seems to be the perfect fit for the Guardians as a free agent.
