5 questions for the Guardians to answer in the offseason

This story was excerpted from Mandy Bell’s Guardians Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

With youth comes a lot of uncertainties, as the Guardians have learned over the last few years. And yet, the 2023-24 offseason seems to be filled with more unknowns than the last handful of winters.

Let’s take a look at the five biggest questions the Guardians face heading into the offseason:

1. Who will be the manager?

This is, obviously, the biggest question to answer. The Guardians need a manager to help determine a plan for the 2024 season. What will his message be? How will he work with the front office to determine a blueprint for next year? Who will he have on his coaching staff? All of these questions need to be answered before the Guardians get into anything else.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to report that Cleveland was bringing Seattle bullpen and quality control coach Stephen Vogt in for a second interview. Other external options like Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza and Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough could still be in the mix. The team also interviewed internal candidates like hitting coach Chris Valaika and field coordinator John McDonald. On Wednesday, The Athletic was the first to link Brewers manager Craig Counsell to the Guardians, as well.

When a team starts with a list of 45 names to consider for an open managerial position, there are going to be plenty of qualified candidates to sift through. But the organization appears to be whittling down those options. And with the need to shift gears into focusing on 2024’s roster as soon as possible, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this decision be made in the next week or two.

2. Who’s at shortstop?

The Guardians have Gabriel Arias, Tyler Freeman and Brayan Rocchio as the Major League-ready options. José Tena isn’t far behind. Eventually, Juan Brito could find his way into this mix. Cleveland also has the choice of shifting Andrés Giménez from second to shortstop and filling second base instead. But regardless, a middle infield spot will need to be filled.

Arias will need to prove that his .083 average (9-for-108) against lefties was a fluke and that he can be more than a platoon bat. Freeman will need to show that he can bring consistency offensively if given the opportunity. Rocchio will need to demonstrate that he’s ready for everyday playing time in the Majors, that he can provide offensively and that he can make all the routine plays at shortstop.

It’s still likely that Arias gets the first crack at earning the job, but nothing will be determined until everyone is back in Goodyear, Ariz., next spring.

3. Will Shane Bieber be part of the rotation?

The bigger question is: What is Bieber’s trade value?

Before the All-Star break, it seemed likely that Cleveland’s ace would be dealt at the Trade Deadline to capitalize on the year and a half of control he had left. Instead, he ended up injuring his shoulder and was sidelined until the final week of the regular season.

He proved that he was healthy enough to get back on the rubber, but because he now has just one year remaining before he enters free agency, plus he endured a two-month stint on the injured list that limited his time to get back onto the field, will the Guardians be able to get enough offensive help in return?

Cleveland needs an everyday bat. The breakouts of starters Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams and Logan Allen have to give the front office some comfort to explore the idea of trading Bieber, especially if Triston McKenzie can come back healthy in ’24. The organization has never been shy in moving elite starters to try to build for the future. Time will tell if Bieber will be the next to go.

4. Is banking on the bat of Kyle Manzardo enough to lift this offense?

The simple answer is no. Manzardo, the team’s No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, was acquired in the deal that sent Aaron Civale to Tampa Bay at the Trade Deadline. There’s every reason to believe he will be a solid hitter -- even one with some power potential -- at the big league level and could certainly be a great boost for an offense that needs some life. But the Guardians need to find more help. Cleveland ranked last in homers among all 30 teams this season and 29th in ’22. It was 29th in slugging percentage this year and 21st in ’22. And this season, it ranked 27th in runs scored.

To turn this offense around, it will take more than one bat (especially when that one bat will be a rookie).

5. Who’s the setup man?

James Karinchak isn’t the same hurler as he was the last few years. Trevor Stephan had a shakier season this year than he’s been used to. So, who will be trusted to get the ball to closer Emmanuel Clase?

The last two years, the Guardians have seen little changes in their bullpen. They added Reynaldo López in August and the righty threw 11 scoreless innings for his new team. If he wasn’t set for free agency this offseason (and will likely sign for a figure out of Cleveland’s typical range for a reliever) he’d be a slam-dunk addition for this organization. Instead, they’re left to figure out exactly who can fit into this picture.