CLEVELAND — The Guardians are a playoff team , but they still need to figure out which players will actually make the playoff roster for the American League Division Series.
The No. 2-seeded Guardians have quite a lot to sort through before Game 1 at Progressive Field on Saturday, when they'll face either the No. 3 Houston Astros or No. 6 Detroit Tigers. Cleveland can sit back and watch those two clubs in their wild card series, but some tough conversations will be happening at the same time.
They have the league's best bullpen , but are any relievers left off the roster? How many starters are taken? Who makes up the bench on the position players side? Do they opt for some extra speed or a bit of pinch-hitting power for late in games?
The Guardians essentially have 30 options — 15 position players and 15 pitchers — to mold into a 26-man ALDS roster.
Here's a look into their possible thought process as they narrow it down, and who might make up the Guardians' 2024 ALDS roster.
Catchers: Bo Naylor, Austin Hedges
Bo Naylor will continue to be the primary catcher with Austin Hedges serving as the backup, defensive wiz and clubhouse leader. David Fry's lingering elbow injury cut down on his ability to offer depth at catcher.
Infielders: Josh Naylor, Andres Gimenez, Jose Ramirez, Brayan Rocchio, Kyle Manzardo, David Fry
Kyle Manzardo has been on an absolute tear, posting a .920 OPS over the last two weeks of the season. He'll be a left-handed hitter the Guardians can use. David Fry should have a spot on the roster in some fashion.
Outfielders: Steven Kwan, Lane Thomas, Will Brennan
The starting outfield with these three should be set. Lane Thomas really found his swing over the last few weeks after resetting his approach on fastballs.
On the bubble: Daniel Schneemann, Angel Martinez, Jhonkensy Noel, Myles Straw, Tyler Freeman
Here's where the difficult decisions begin.
After the aforementioned 11 players, there should be either two or three bench spots open, depending on whether the Guardians decide to take 12 or 13 pitchers.
Daniel Schneemann offers a great deal of positional flexibility. Angel Martinez does as well, and in the form of a switch-hitter (plus the Guardians have trusted him with a key lineup spot in the past ). Jhonkensy Noel has light-tower power and would be a dynamite pinch-hitting option when the Guardians need a spark. Myles Straw has elite speed and defense, although the Guardians might just need to hope he never has a bat in his hands. Tyler Freeman is a right-handed option as a utility infielder, but he might need an injury to receive any at-bats.
Given how they might fit into the roster, Martinez and Noel could make the most sense, with possibly Schneemann or Straw taking an extra spot if the Guardians only carry 12 pitchers into the ALDS. While Straw's speed and defense could offer value late in games, the ability to have some pinch-hitters available (especially Noel) might outweigh anything else.
Starting pitchers: Tanner Bibee, Matthew Boyd, Alex Cobb
Tanner Bibee will be a starter. Matthew Boyd appears to be headed toward being named a starter as well, considering he and Boyd pitched sim games rather than throw against the Astros last weekend.
Alex Cobb's status on the roster will be mostly decided by the status of the blister that sidelined him the last couple weeks. Cobb threw a sim game Sunday at Progressive Field, and it appears as though the initial feedback was positive. Cobb could act as the club's third starter for the five-game ALDS, though the Guardians could also opt for a bullpen game and only need two starting pitchers.
Relief pitchers: Emmanuel Clase, Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, Tim Herrin, Eli Morgan
These five are the main reasons why the Guardians have the league's No. 1 bullpen . They'll be on the playoff roster, and they'll be leaned on heavily.
On the bubble: Nick Sandlin, Andrew Walters, Erik Sabrowski, Pedro Avila, Gavin Williams, Joey Cantillo, Ben Lively
Nick Sandlin hasn't been as sharp recently, but he's also been trusted in some high-leverage situations. Erik Sabrowski (12⅔ innings) and Andrew Walters (8⅔ innings) haven't allowed a single earned run since joining the bullpen. Pedro Avila has been an important multi-inning option.
If Cobb is healthy and on the roster, it would leave four or five spots after the locked-in options. Sandlin, Sabrowski, Walters and Avila might have the inside track to four of those spots. Gavin Williams, Joey Cantillo and Ben Lively would possibly be up for a final spot as a starter-turned-reliever. Williams was supposed to practice in that role before Sunday's game was canceled because of rain.
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis1@gannett.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Threads at @ByRyanLewis .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 2024 MLB playoffs: Cleveland Guardians ALDS roster projection, prediction
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