The Cleveland Guardians made some big moves to reshape their team and strengthen their rotation.
On Tuesday night, during the winter meetings in Dallas, the AL Central champions made two important trades. First, they sent three-time Gold Glove second baseman Andrés Giménez to the Toronto Blue Jays. Along with Giménez, the Guardians traded reliever Nick Sandlin to Toronto in exchange for infielder Spencer Horwitz and outfielder Nick Mitchell.
Cleveland didn’t keep Horwitz long, as they quickly traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates in return for three pitchers: right-handed Luis Ortiz and lefties Michael Kennedy and Josh Hartle. Ortiz, who had a strong season last year with a 7-6 record and a 3.32 ERA, could immediately take a starting role.
The Guardians recently re-signed their ace, Shane Bieber, but he might not be able to pitch until June after having Tommy John surgery. These were the first trades made during this year’s winter meetings.
Ortiz, 25, had his best season in the majors last year. He set career highs in wins, strikeouts (107), innings pitched (135 2/3), ERA, and WHIP (1.11). He started the 2024 season in the bullpen, with a 2.51 ERA in 20 appearances, before moving into the rotation in June. Ortiz even pitched six scoreless innings against the Guardians on August 31.
Cleveland has been involved in many trade rumors this offseason, but not many of them included Giménez, who was once seen as a key player for the team’s future.
The 26-year-old Giménez batted .252 last season with nine home runs, 63 RBIs, and 30 steals. He was acquired by the Guardians in the Francisco Lindor trade with the New York Mets in January 2021. Two years ago, Giménez made the All-Star team after hitting 17 homers and 69 RBIs.
While the Guardians have always valued his defense, they wanted more offensive production from the bottom of their lineup, which they weren’t getting from Giménez.
The team may also be making room for Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 pick in this year’s amateur draft. Bazzana started the season at Class A Lake County and helped the team win a championship. The Guardians are impressed with his talent, and the former Oregon State star could move quickly to the majors.
Juan Brito, who performed well at Triple-A Columbus, might also compete for a spot on the 2025 roster at second base.
Financial factors also played a role in the move. Giménez still has $96.5 million left on his seven-year, $106.5 million contract that was signed before the 2023 season. He is set to earn $10 million next year, $15 million in 2026, and $23 million for each of the following three seasons. The contract also includes a $23 million team option for 2030, with a $2.5 million buyout.
Sandlin, who was a key member of Cleveland’s strong bullpen last season, posted an 8-0 record with a 3.75 ERA in 68 appearances. However, he was not included in the roster for the AL Division Series or ALCS. Sandlin is eligible for arbitration this winter and next, and will be a free agent after the 2026 World Series.
Mitchell, the outfielder, was drafted in the fourth round this year and hit .289 in 22 games for Class A Dunedin.
Kennedy, 20, was also a fourth-round pick by the Pirates in 2022. In two professional seasons, he is 4-6 with a 3.25 ERA in 31 games, splitting last season between Class A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro.
Hartle, a 6-foot-5 left-handed pitcher, was drafted in the third round from Wake Forest. Over three seasons with the Demon Deacons, he had a 24-11 record and a 4.41 ERA.
