Trade alert: Guardians emerge as front-runner for…
The Cleveland Guardians are sure to be in the hunt for bats this offseason, and while it would be nice to add a couple of pieces via free agency, it might be more economically feasible for the Guardians to achieve the feat via trades.
But who could Cleveland pursue this offseason?
Quincy Wheeler of Covering the Corner listed a bunch of potential candidates for the Guardians this winter, and he tabbed Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ as a possibility.
Of course, there is a catch with Happ.
He has two years and $20 million remaining on his current deal, which is very affordable. But he has a no-trade clause that he would have to waive.
Would Happ be willing to make the move to Cleveland?
You would think Happ would be perfectly fine heading to a team that just came within three wins of a World Series appearance, but you never know.
Happ slashed .243/.341/441 with 25 home runs and 86 RBI over 657 plate appearances this season and made an All-Star appearance in 2022 while slashing .271/.342/.440 with 17 homers and 72 RBI across 641 trips to the dish.
On top of that, the 30-year-old has won three consecutive Gold Gloves for his slick outfield defense. He has also played a lot of infield in the past, although he has been a full-time outfielder the past three campaigns.
Happ owns a lifetime .794 OPS and would be a welcomed sight to a Guardians offense that is in obvious need of a boost.
