The Cleveland Guardians are sitting outside the postseason field halfway through the season. But with a strong second half, the Guardians could easily become contenders. One thing they could do to help them make such a push is by acquiring a player in a trade.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report proposed a deal for the Guardians in which the team would land a big help for the outfield. But, it’d cost a massive haul of prospects to land him.
Reuter’s proposal would have the Guardians landing 26-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz. In return, the Guardians would send C.J. Kafus (5th-ranked prospect), Cooper Ingle (8th), Juan Brito (10th), Joey Cantillo, and Johnathan Rodriguez.
It’s a huge haul of prospects, headlined by Kafus, one of the best prospects in the Guardians’ system. Fortunately, Cruz isn’t a rental, as he’s under team control through the 2028 season, giving the Guardians a few seasons to get the most out of Cruz.
While the team is giving up a haul, the player they’re getting back is very polarizing. Cruz has some of the game’s best speed and power, but has struggled with effort at times this season. His defense in center field has been lazy, as is his effort in trying to beat out ground balls.
This issue hit its breaking point at one point, and Cruz was benched for his lack of effort. While it’s a concern, the hope would be that on a new team, one contending for a postseason spot, Cruz would put forth more effort.
But, with this proposal being one that sends a huge haul, getting back a player who isn’t putting forth his best effort is a major red flag. That isn’t to say the Guardians aren’t getting a player with immense potential.
In 2025, Cruz leads the National League in stolen bases with 27 and also has 15 home runs halfway through the year. He’s hitting .212 with a .420 slugging percentage. While Cruz doesn’t get hits often, he does have some of the game’s best power.
Adding him to the Guardians’ offense, taking over in the outfield over Lane Thomas or whoever they are rotating in right, would be a nice way to bolster the team’s offensive potential. But, between the defense concerns and his effort, there is reason to be skeptical of such a deal.
It’s especially more worrisome that this deal is sending three top-ten prospects in the Guardians’ system. Kafus, Brito, and Ingle are great prospects, and while there’s a chance none make an impact on the Majors, sending all three for Cruz is a big risk.
This trade proposal from Reuters is a polarizing one, and not just because of Cruz. The massive haul they are sending out indicates the team would view this season and next season as win-now years.
