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The Cleveland Guardians made a series of aggressive transactions ahead of Monday's MLB trade deadline, adding seasoned bats and an All-Star pitcher to enhance their lineup and starting rotation. The organization is aiming for a third consecutive AL Central division crown, and these moves reflect a clear intent to contend.
Cleveland has maintained a winning record for most of the season, but their performance since the All-Star break has dipped, with a 6-10 record, which ranks as the third-worst in the American League during that span. The Guardians currently trail the first-place Chicago White Sox by three games in the division standings, while holding a slim one-game advantage over the Minnesota Twins for the final AL wild card spot.
Ideastream Public Media sports analyst Terry Pluto noted that the front office's strategy indicates a belief that the division is still within reach. "They saw the Detroit Tigers trade their ace, Tarik Skubal, and also dealt another top pitcher, Casey Mize," Pluto explained. "The Guardians, from owner Paul Dolan down to general managers Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff, asked themselves: 'Are we going to simply hand the division to the White Sox, or will we make moves to bring in some hitters?' They chose to be bold but were careful not to part with their top prospects."
The first acquisition was outfielder Jo Adell from the Los Angeles Angels. Adell, who was selected 10th overall in the 2017 MLB Draft, had spent his entire career with the Angels. Pluto described what the Guardians can expect from Adell: "He's been a top prospect forever. He's a big guy who hits a lot of home runs and strikes out a lot. Currently, he has 16 homers and 62 RBIs, and he's batting over .300 with runners in scoring position."
Next, Cleveland acquired All-Star left-hander Foster Griffin from the Washington Nationals in exchange for four prospects. The 31-year-old Griffin, who spent three seasons with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan before returning to the majors, boasts a 12-3 record with a 3.06 ERA and 116 strikeouts, tying him for fourth in the majors in wins. Pluto commented on the Nationals' motivation: "Washington decided they're not going anywhere. Griffin is a free agent at the end of the season, and they figured they couldn't keep him, so they wanted to see how many prospects they could get." The Nationals received left-handers Will Dion and Josh Hartle, outfielder Nick Mitchell, and right-hander Kendeglys Virguez in the deal.
The Guardians also added first baseman Nathaniel Lowe from the Cincinnati Reds. Lowe, 31, is hitting .266 with 12 home runs and 37 RBIs. "He's a left-handed hitter who crushes right-handed pitching," Pluto said. "Like Foster, he's a free agent at the end of the year." In exchange, Cleveland sent right-hander Alejandro Rivera to Cincinnati and also traded infielder Juan Brito to the Reds for cash.
Pluto believes these additions will provide a much-needed boost to an offense that has struggled for most of the season. Cleveland ranks near the bottom of the majors offensively, entering Tuesday with a .231 team batting average, 446 runs scored, and 109 home runs. "If Jo Adell and Nathaniel Lowe play up to their current levels—Adell striking out but hitting home runs, and Lowe hitting around .290 against righties—that's a significant improvement," Pluto noted.
To make roster space, the Guardians optioned first baseman Kyle Manzardo and utility player David Fry to Triple-A Columbus. "That sent a message that Fry and Manzardo were having disappointing seasons," Pluto said. "The Guardians are often patient, but they decided to send these guys down to regroup. In the meantime, they'll try Adell and Lowe, who they believe can help right now."
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Pluto emphasized that these moves also send a strong message to the clubhouse. "Look, guys, we have a chance to win this division, and we brought you some help," he said, adding that manager Stephen Vogt must be pleased because the team has had the youngest roster in the majors every year. "Now they've brought in some veterans to help guide the team." Pluto also noted the fan perspective: "All you have to do is beat out the White Sox and Twins, and if you don't try, the fan base will be unhappy, and rightly so. They've lost eight of their last 11, but they can turn it around with some outside help. I'm upbeat about this—it's exciting."
Over the weekend, the Guardians also traded catcher Bo Naylor and right-hander Codi Heuer to Milwaukee for right-hander Craig Yoho and outfielder Blake Perkins. Yoho will join Cleveland's bullpen, while Perkins will report to Triple-A.
Originally reported by ideastream_org.