RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesCLEVELAND — As the Guardians try to track down the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central race, the MLB trade deadline is drawing closer.
The 2026 deadline is set for 6 p.m. on August. 3, the latest it's ever been during the season.
The Guardians entered July 31 and their final pre-deadline series of the season against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 56-54 and two games out of the division lead. They're firmly in a group of playoff contenders in the American League, partly aided by the fact that the AL Central is entirely up for grabs.
Follow along this weekend and into Aug 3. to see if the Guardians make any major moves ahead of the deadline.
Guardians needs at MLB trade deadline
First and foremost: the Guardians need a bat. The story of their season, and this deadline in particular, begins and ends with a floundering offense.
Entering their July 31 game against the Diamondbacks, the Guardians ranked 29th in runs scored (432, and that’s with playing an extra game than the last-place Blue Jays), 29th in xwOBA (.301, a metric that essentially evaluates quality of contact and expected results with it) and 30th in slugging (.369).
The Guardians have been on pace to end this season with the most left-handed lineup in recent baseball history. They know they'll face every left-handed pitcher opposing teams can possibly deploy against them.
But the offensive issues run deeper than that. Here are the Guardians' slash lines against right-handed and left-handed pitchers this season:
vs. LHP: .222/.309/.342, 86 wRC+
vs. RHP: .234/.310/.381, 96 wRC+
Against lefties, the Guardians' wRC+ ranks 27th in the majors. Against righties, they rank 22nd by the same metric. So while Cleveland has been a bit more productive against right-handed pitchers, the situation still hasn't been great by any means for a contending team.
It would, still, make sense for the Guardians to add a right-handed bat in a vacuum, and under the ideal circumstances. But those situations that fit like puzzle pieces don't always fall into teams' laps. The Guardians need an offensive boost regardless of which side of the plate it might involve.
“We’ll be aggressive in trying to find ways to improve,” president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said recently. “Now, whether that means we’ll ultimately be able to get to the finish line on a deal or multiple deals, I have no idea. It’s impossible to predict.
“Could be left-handed, could be right-handed. In an ideal world, it’d probably be good to have more balance to the lineup, but there are al to of teams that are probably looking to try to accomplish the same thing."
Will the Guardians look to trade for pitching help?
The Guardians are also among essentially every contender who could benefit from a boost to the bullpen. High-leverage relievers are also in high demand this time of year, a truth that runs across the board every season. That doesn't have as much to do with any shortcomings in the bullpen, only that contenders adding high-end relievers for a playoff run always makes sense.
Guardians trade targets could include Mickey Moniak, Taylor Ward, Jo Adell
The Rockies’ Mickey Moniak, the Orioles’ Taylor Ward and the Angels’ Jo Adell are all among the top potential trade candidates in the outfield, among several others. The Brewers' Garrett Mitchel also could be available solely from a depth and surplus standpoint in Milwaukee, but the price tag would be higher.
The Guardians could also look to first base considering Kyle Manzardo's struggles at the plate this season.
Is Mike Trout a possible Guardians trade target?
The massive swing would be to include Angels star Mike Trout in a deal, something that's been floated around the league and would require some pretty substantial financial considerations, if Los Angeles were to move their prized outfielder. It's the type of trade with which the Guardians are rarely involved, at least seriously. And while it would energize the fan base, Trout is making more than $35 million per year through the 2030 season. Cleveland has never brought in a player making that kind of money.
There are a number of moves the Guardians could make that wouldn't add a ton of salary, but would still be considered aggressive at the major-league level, if they were to depart with some top prospects.
Aroldis Chapman, Pete Fairbanks among relievers to watch at trade deadline
Among the potential relievers still available on the market: the Red Sox’s Aroldis Chapman, the Rays’ Pete Fairbanks, the Cardinals’ Riley O’Brien, the Mets’ Brooks Raley, the Marlins’ Lake Bachar and Anthony Bender, the Rockies’ Antonio Senzatela and the Giants’ Caleb Kilian.
When is the MLB trade deadline?
The 2026 MLB trade deadline is set for 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug 3.
Ryan Lewis covers the Guardians for the Akron Beacon Journal. He can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians trade rumors, targets, live tracker
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