The Cleveland Guardians made significant moves to revamp their roster and bolster their pitching staff. During the winter meetings in Dallas on Tuesday, the AL Central champions executed two major trades. They sent three-time Gold Glove second baseman Andrés Giménez and reliever Nick Sandlin to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for infielder Spencer Horwitz and outfielder Nick Mitchell.
However, Cleveland didn’t hold on to Horwitz for long, quickly trading him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for three pitchers: right-hander Luis Ortiz and lefties Michael Kennedy and Josh Hartle. Ortiz, coming off a solid 2023 season with a 7-6 record and a 3.32 ERA, could immediately step into a starting role.
The Guardians recently re-signed ace Shane Bieber, but he’s expected to miss part of the 2024 season following Tommy John surgery, making these moves even more crucial. These trades marked the first of the winter meetings.
Ortiz, 25, had a breakout year in 2023, posting career highs in wins (7), strikeouts (107), innings pitched (135 2/3), ERA (3.32), and WHIP (1.11). He started the year in the bullpen, recording a 2.51 ERA over 20 appearances, before moving into the rotation in June. Ortiz even shut down the Guardians with six scoreless innings in an August outing.
Cleveland had been linked to numerous trade rumors this offseason, but few involved Giménez, a player once seen as a key part of the team’s future. The 26-year-old batted .252 last season with nine home runs, 63 RBIs, and 30 steals. He was acquired in the Francisco Lindor trade with the Mets in 2021, and made the All-Star team in 2022 with 17 homers and 69 RBIs. Despite his defensive prowess, the Guardians were seeking more offensive output from the bottom of their lineup, which they didn’t consistently get from Giménez.
The move also seems to clear space for Travis Bazzana, the Guardians’ top pick in this year’s amateur draft. Bazzana impressed in Class A Lake County, helping the team win a championship, and could quickly rise through the ranks. Juan Brito, who showed promise at Triple-A Columbus, is another potential contender for the second base spot in 2025.
Financial considerations also played a role in the trade. Giménez still has $96.5 million remaining on his seven-year, $106.5 million contract, signed before the 2023 season. He is set to earn $10 million in 2024, $15 million in 2026, and $23 million in each of the following three seasons, with a team option for $23 million in 2030.
Sandlin, who was an important part of Cleveland’s bullpen last season with an 8-0 record and a 3.75 ERA in 68 appearances, was not included in the AL Division Series or ALCS. He is eligible for arbitration this winter and next and will be a free agent after the 2026 season.
Mitchell, the outfielder, was drafted in the fourth round in 2023 and hit .289 in 22 games for Class A Dunedin. Kennedy, 20, was also drafted by the Pirates in the fourth round in 2022. In two professional seasons, he posted a 4-6 record with a 3.25 ERA across 31 games, split between Class A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro. Hartle, a 6-foot-5 lefty from Wake Forest, was drafted in the third round and finished his college career with a 24-11 record and a 4.41 ERA.
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