The Cleveland Guardians finished 80-82 in 2021, but they want to return to contention next season.
With a full year of a healthy Shane Bieber, some great arms in the rotation, and the always productive Jose Ramirez, they are well-positioned to be at least decent next campaign.
They do need some bats, however, because the offense was pathetic at times in 2021.
This rotation is going to be crazy in 2022. They need to improve the offense this off-season. #ourcle #indians #guardians
— jacob (@clevelandfan92) September 16, 2021
These three free agent bats can contribute to the Guardians if signed.
3. Corey Dickerson
Myles Straw, Harold Ramirez, and Bradley Zimmer are expected to be the starting outfielders for the Guardians in 2022.
Each one of those names has some upside, but the reality is that no one in that group performed well in 2021.
@MandyBell02 What does Cleveland have to do in the offseason? Let's put it this way. We have the worst hitting outfield in the game…and one of the worst overall hitting teams in baseball.Enough said? It is up to Ownership to decide if this is a baseball team or a tax write off.
— Joseph Devito (@JosephDevito20) November 6, 2021
Straw hit .271/.349/.348, and his speed and good defense make him a good player.
The rest?
Not so much.
Ramirez slashed .268/.305/.398, while Zimmer was at .227/.325/.344.
Oscar Mercado, who seemed like a starting-caliber outfielder a couple of years ago, has regressed and hit .224/.300/.369 last year.
That’s why Cleveland desperately needs some help in the outfield, and Corey Dickerson can provide it.
He likely won’t command a huge salary (always a condition for the Guardians) and hit .282/.329/.450 in 46 games after landing in Toronto in the second half.
He should be a good, inexpensive option for Cleveland as they try to raise their offensive floor and gain some respectability.
2. Tommy Pham
As previously stated, Cleveland needs a lot of outfield help.
Tommy Pham could be an experienced, inexpensive option for the Guardians as they try to strengthen their lineup.
His best days are certainly behind him, but he still had an above-average offensive year judging by his weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) of 102.
The wRC+ stat tells us that 100 is average, and anything higher than that is considered above-average.
The soon-to-be 34-year-old outfielder hit 15 homers and stole 14 bases in 2021, with a .229/.340/.383 line.
The Guardians lineup could definitely use someone who gets on base as much as Pham does, so he is likely a good fit.
If he is healthy, he could at least be a slightly above-average offensive performer who gets on base at least at a .330-.340 OBP clip.
Considering that Cleveland has several players with extremely low OBPs, like Andres Gimenez, Harold Ramirez, and Amed Rosario, Pham would be a worthwhile addition as the team tries to contend in 2022.
1. Jonathan Villar
At the moment, Rosario is projected to start at shortstop for the Guardians, and Gimenez at second base.
Rosario was okay in 2021, hitting .282/.321/.409 with 11 homers and 13 stolen bases; while Gimenez was a good fielder, but not a particularly good hitter: .218/.282/.351 was his offensive performance.
Cleveland invested lots of resources in them (Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco, to be specific) and they surely want to give them some more leash.
However, if the team wants to upgrade without spending too much, Jonathan Villar is a good option.
He hit .249/.322/.416 with 18 homers last year and was a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable season for the New York Mets.
He also stole 14 bases, but if given the green light, Villar can steal more than 30.
He can play second base, third base, and shortstop, and would be great for depth purposes.
NEXT: Cleveland Ace Shane Bieber Is Due For A Dominant 2022