The Perfect Pair: Why Guardians, Angels Should Make a…
The Cleveland Guardians are in need of some power bats this offseason. Outside of Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor, they don’t have any other reliable big hitters in their lineup.
Enter Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward, who may be a hot trade candidate this winter.
Ward has two years of club control remaining, but being that he is 30 years old and the Angels are not close to contending, Los Angeles may decide to move him.
The veteran slashed .246/.323/.426 with 25 home runs and 75 RBI over 663 plate appearances while playing passable defense this past season.
Yes, Ward strikes out quite a bit, as he was fanned 163 times in 2024. But his ability to go yard compensates for his free-swinging nature.
Let’s face it: the Guardians need some pop. Not a single player outside of Ramirez and Naylor totaled 15 home runs this past year, and that lack of firepower unquestionably hurt Cleveland in the playoffs.
The Guardians don’t spend a ton of money in free agency, so bigger bats like Anthony Santander and Teoscar Hernandez (we won’t even mention Juan Soto) are probably out of reach.
As a result, Cleveland may have to peruse the trade market for mid-level options, and Ward could be one of the best ones potentially available.
The Dayton, Oh. native owns a lifetime slash line of .252/.330/.426. He became a full-time starter for the Angels in 2022 and has smashed 62 long balls during that span. And keep in mind: he missed a good chunk of 2023 due to injuries.
Ward would be a fine fit on a Guardians squad that could use another slugger in the outfield.
