CLEVELAND — As the Guardians feel the sting of an extended playoff run that fell short of the World Series, they now turn their eyes to an offseason that could be a tumultuous one for all of Major League Baseball.
The Guardians fell two wins shy of the World Series, as their playoff journey ended with a loss in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series to the Tampa Bay Rays, who advanced to face the Milwaukee Brewers. Game 1 of the World Series is set for Friday, Oct. 23.
It was the second time in the last three years the Guardians were one of the final four teams standing, but ultimately, it's also another season in which they fell short of their ultimate goal, even despite an aggressive trade deadline that added a number of key players.
The entire sport could be headed for a lockout from the owners within the next several weeks, casting a shadow over the 2027 offseason and season. It is widely expected a lockout will take place, and that it's possible some or all of the 2027 season could be lost. At any rate, it appears more likely than not at the beginning of the World Series that Opening Day 2027 will be pushed back, and spring training camps might not happen at all as the league and the MLBPA continue their hostile labor dispute.
With the league dealing with a mountain of uncertainty, here's where the Guardians stand entering the offseason, and some of the key storylines to follow.
Guardians contract extension candidates
The Guardians have a number of players who might fit as contract extension candidates. The Cleveland front office has long followed a script of signing players to deals to buy out a year or two of free agency. The team takes on the risk of offering players more guaranteed money early but gains the benefit of possibly an extra year or two of under-market value.
Closer Cade Smith (under club control through 2028), starting pitchers Parker Messick (2031) and Gavin Williams (2029), second baseman Travis Bazzana (2032) and outfielder Chase DeLauter (2032) all fit that potential mold.
Cleveland Guardians 2027 free agents
The Guardians have five key pending free agents — starting pitcher Foster Griffin, first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, reliever Shawn Armstrong, catcher Austin Hedges and first baseman Rhys Hoskins.
The Guardians loved the presence Lowe added to the lineup, and he came through with several key hits during their playoff run to the ALCS. At the same time, he’ll turn 32 next season, and they have both Kyle Manzardo and Ralphy Velazquez in the minor leagues. The latter hasn’t yet been added to the 40-man roster, but he might break the door down to the majors in 2027. Because of their presence, it might take a very team friendly deal for Lowe to return, even if they viewed him in a positive light in the playoffs.
With Hedges, it cannot be overstated how much they love having him in the clubhouse. He brings as much nonquantifiable value as any player in baseball. He also had the best offensive season of his career by a mile, with a wRC+ of 100. But there were also some concerns with his ability to throw out runners, and Patrick Bailey has taken over as the clear No. 1.
Plus, the Guardians have Cooper Ingle and Kody Huff available to back up Bailey. In a perfect world, the Guardians would love to have Hedges, and there’s no doubt he’d love to be back in Cleveland. No position player looked more distraught after the ALCS Game 6 loss than him. That might be enough for a reunion, but the roster fit might also not be as ideal as it once was, which could lead to a new direction.
Shawn Armstrong holds a mutual option for the 2027 season. He’s an interesting case, as injuries took over a major portion of his 2026 regular season, but he was outstanding in the playoffs and could opt out to seek a bigger payday on the open market.
Cleveland Guardians 2027 arbitration eligible players
Here’s the list of Guardians players eligible for arbitration, with their projected 2027 salaries from MLBTradeRumors.
- Steven Kwan, $11.3 million
- Jo Adell, $9.6 million
- Cade Smith, $5.5 million
- Gavin Williams, $4.8 million
- Brayan Rocchio, $3.1 million
- Patrick Bailey, $2.3 million
- Colin Holderman, $2.3 million
- Hunter Gaddis, $2.2 million
- Slade Cecconi, $2 million
- David Fry, $1.9 million
- Matt Festa, $1.5 million
- Tim Herrin, $1.3 million
- Blake Perkins, $900,000
Steven Kwan contract, trade possibilities
Steven Kwan had a rough start to the 2026 season, but, oh, did he make up for it, putting together an absolutely torrid ending to the year. From July 1 to the end of the regular season, Kwan had the eighth-best wRC+ in all of baseball at 158 and the sixth-best fWAR at 3.5.
Trade rumors have followed Kwan for the last 18 months, but he's remained in a Cleveland jersey. The Guardians front office is known to stick to their values.
Kwan is entering his final year of club control, and is expected to make around $11.3 million in arbitration for 2027.
The Guardians could sign Kwan to a one-year deal and then offer him a qualifying offer after the 2027 season, in which case if Kwan rejects the offer for 2028 the Guardians could receive draft pick compensation. They could trade him this winter or at the deadline. Or they could sign him to a contract extension to better align his time in Cleveland with other players on the roster, like Jose Ramirez.
Cleveland Guardians payroll
The Guardians’ estimated final 2026 payroll came out to $86 million, boosted by the midseason trade deadline deals. That put them 29th in the league, ahead of only the Miami Marlins ($76 million).
Cleveland's estimated 2027 payroll as it currently stands is $98 million, according to FanGraphs’ projections.
Could Stephen Vogt leave to manage Seattle Mariners?
It's important to note nothing substantial or concrete has come out regarding this scenario, only that dots have been connected by some in the industry that it could be an outside possibility, simply considering that Stephen Vogt is from the general area, and the Mariners job in Seattle is open. In a scenario in which Vogt would live closer to home and his family, would he consider moving to the Mariners in Seattle? It might be something to watch as a storyline, though nothing has actually indicated it as even a possibility yet.
Where does Tanner Bibee stand with Guardians starting rotation?
One of the pressing questions after the Guardians' postseason run was where does Tanner Bibee stand, and does the team trust him to be on the mound?
Bibee, signed to a $48 million deal that runs through 2029 with a club option for 2030, threw all of 15 pitches during Cleveland's 11 playoff games. He faced three batters and walked two of them.
It was a somewhat stunning scenario to watch unfold considering Bibee was the team's Opening Day starting pitcher. But he ended the year on a horrendous note, giving up 21 earned runs over his final 25⅔ innings (7.36 ERA) in the regular season. Then, even as the Guardians bullpen was used extensively, Vogt repeatedly went away from Bibee in favor of other options.
Part of the explanation was they wanted Bibee available in case extra innings were necessary, but it's still somewhat shocking to see an Opening Day starter effectively fall out of a team's playoff pitching plans that same year.
Key MLB dates this offseason with lockout looming
- Five days after the World Series: Free agency begins. Teams can negotiate with their own free agents during that window.
- Nov. 9-12: GM Meetings in Las Vegas
- Mid-November: Deadline for players to accept or reject qualifying offer. The exact date depends on the end of the World Series.
- Nov. 17-19: Owners meetings in New York City
- Nov. 20: Non-tender deadline. Teams must place players on the 40-man roster by this date to protect them from the Rule 5 draft.
- Dec. 1: Current CBA expires. This is the big one. The current CBA will expire on Dec. 1, which makes the beginning of December the expected beginning of the lockout. Everything after this date is entirely up in the air.
- Dec. 7-10: MLB Winter Meeting in Orlando. These are likely to be cancelled by the lockout.
- Dec. 8: MLB Draft lottery. Again, who knows when this actually happens.
- Dec. 9: Rule 5 Draft. We’ll see!
- February: Arbitration figures exchanged. Maybe!
- Mid-February: Spring training camps open. It’s unclear if there will be a spring training at all. If the lockout were to extend far enough into the spring, teams would likely only have a few weeks of a truncated camp at their home ballparks before Opening Day. It’ll all be quite different from the normal schedule, if so.
When could MLB Opening Day 2027 be?
It's anyone's guess.
Currently, Opening Day for teams is set for March 24 or March 25, but it's unclear if that will happen. Opening Day could be pushed back to June or July, and it remains at least possible that the entire 2027 season could be lost, depending on the labor negotiations.
Ryan Lewis covers the Guardians for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached at rlewis1@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians 2027 offseason primer, extension candidates, free agents