5 questions facing Guardians after magical playoff run

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The foundation is set with a core group of talented, young players. So, where will the Guardians go from here?

Let’s take a look at the five biggest questions Cleveland faces heading into the offseason:

1. How do they make sure 2024 is a building block … unlike '22?

The Guardians don’t want to repeat history.

This team was eerily similar to the one from 2022: Outside expectations were low and somehow a small-ball, gritty approach to the game led to a magical playoff run. In '22, everyone thought this was a new foundation to build on. Instead, '23 was a disappointment and an unexpected step back, even though the Guardians tried to be aggressive by adding free agents Josh Bell and Mike Zunino. How can they learn from that experience to make sure this season is a building block for an even better '25?

“I think it starts for me with the importance of the offseason,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “It's the youngest roster in baseball and the position-player group is exceedingly young. In a normal course of development, they're at that peak spot where there's an opportunity for them to continue to get better, but it's not going to happen by accident. They need to put in the work to make that happen and we need to support them with the right environment and resources.”

2. Who’s the hitting coach?

Chris Valaika is joining Terry Francona in Cincinnati, so now the Guardians have a hitting-coach role to fill. Maybe Dan Puente -- who was the assistant hitting coach this year -- will take the main title. Maybe the Guardians will call on Junior Betances -- who’s currently the Triple-A Columbus hitting coach and has a great relationship with José Ramírez -- to come up to the Majors. Maybe manager Stephen Vogt wants to try to use one of his own contacts from outside the organization to round out his coaching staff.

Regardless of who it is, the Guardians will want them to build on the approach that was set in 2024. This offense switched its mentality to adding more impact and being OK with swinging and missing if it meant fewer weak groundouts, rather than prioritizing contact. It clicked in the first month of the season. It came alive again in the final month. But Cleveland will try to make it a more consistent approach all season long in '25.

3. What’s the state of the rotation?

Right now, Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams are locks. What happens from there?

Can the Guardians bank on Ben Lively to be the pitcher he was again in 2025? Will they be able to re-sign Matthew Boyd and/or Alex Cobb and/or Shane Bieber? Will Joey Cantillo take a big step forward next year? Will Hunter Gaddis try to slide back into the rotation after being a successful set-up man? Can Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen do enough to prove they belong in the Majors?

No matter what the answers are to these questions, the Guardians will still need external help, because their depth is uncharacteristically thin.

4. Who’s in center field?

Lane Thomas was a temporary fix, but long-term, he’s probably a better fit in right field. So, the Guardians may be on a hunt for a center fielder this offseason. Because of how Cleveland typical operates, this will likely be addressed via trade rather than free agency.

Internally, the Guardians could try to turn to their No. 2 prospect, Chase DeLauter, to help out in the grass, assuming he stays healthy. They could also hope to see improvements offensively from Myles Straw, who only played in seven games in the big leagues this year. But external reinforcements would be helpful.

5. What can they expect from DeLauter and Travis Bazzana?

Bazzana’s 2025 season will be dictated by his own performance. The Guardians threw him into the fire immediately after he was drafted No. 1 overall, and he helped High-A Lake County win a championship. If Bazzana -- the Guardians' top prospect -- continues to have success, he may fly through the Minor League system.

It would be shocking if DeLauter didn’t make his debut next year. Everyone expected it to come at some point in 2024, but because of a handful of nagging injuries, that timeline was pushed back. DeLauter gave everybody a taste of what he can bring to the table with a ridiculous performance in a few Cactus League games last spring. Now, it’s just a matter of staying healthy and preparing himself for next season, which is why he’s playing in the Arizona Fall League.