The Cleveland Guardians ended up with a 76-86 record last season, finishing in 3rd place, 11 games behind the division champion Minnesota Twins.
There is a changing of the guard in The Land, too, as manager Terry Francona stepped away after 11 seasons. First-time manager Stephen Vogt, a former Major League catcher, will assume the skipper role heading into 2024 and beyond.
The Guardians will have a decent pitching staff, and they’ll have to get the most out of their offense to be competitive. The team added C Austin Hedges to a 1-year deal, as well as SP Ben Lively, for depth. RP Scott Barlow comes in from the San Diego Padres, giving the back end of the rotation a boost, and a possible insurance chip if the team elects to trade Emmanuel Clase, the current closer.
The popular Carlos Carrasco is back in a Cleveland uniform, and he is expected to have a spot in the rotation with Cal Quantrill having been traded to the Colorado Rockies in the offseason. Lucas Giolito left for Boston, where he is dealing with an injury now.