CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians are at a crossroads. After a magical 2025 campaign that saw them overcome a 15 1/2-game deficit, the front office knows lightning won’t strike twice without significant offensive improvements for 2026.

In the latest Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com beat reporters Joe Noga and Paul Hoynes dissected which players on the Guardians’ 40-man roster and top prospect list could be attractive trade chips to bring in the middle-of-the-order bat the team desperately needs.

“If they do not improve this offense, 2026 is going to be a long season,” warned Hoynes on the podcast. The veteran reporter didn’t mince words about the team’s dire offensive situation, pointing to their .226 batting average and bottom-of-the-barrel MLB rankings in runs and OPS.

The

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