Cleveland Sports Forum

A look at where the Guardians roster stands heading into spring training 2023

Ryan Lewis

Akron Beacon Journal

The Guardians took a controllable, youthful roster from a surprising 2022 team into the winter and quickly addressed their two most pressing needs.

With those two major points on their to-do list crossed off, the question is what, if any, moves will follow heading into the spring as the Guardians hope to make a deeper run in October 2023 with a roster that is largely now a year older and a year more experienced.

The Guardians had only two glaring question marks: designated hitter and catcher. They had to rely on Owen Miller (since dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers for a player to be named later or cash) and Will Brennan (whom the team is high on long term) in the playoffs prior to Josh Naylor hurting his ankle. And the team moved on from catchers Austin Hedges (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Luke Maile (Cincinnati Reds).

Josh Bell and Mike Zunino address Guardians' immediate roster needs

Josh Bell (two-year, $33 million deal that includes a player opt-out after 2023) will handle an everyday role between DH and first base along with Naylor, who could also see time in right field now that he's an additional year removed from major ankle surgery. President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti outlined an expectation of increased spending flexibility shortly after the postseason ended for the Guardians, and much of that ended up being directed toward Bell, adding a middle-of-the-order switch-hitter to the lineup.

Mike Zunino ($6 million for 2023) will take over the starting catcher role with Bo Naylor waiting in the wings to take over the job long term. Zunino figures to be a significant offensive upgrade over Hedges and Maile while being an above-average defensive catcher (although not elite like Hedges), provided he's fully recovered and able to produce after thoracic outlet syndrome surgery ended his 2022 season.

What happens with Amed Rosario, and how some one-year veterans now fit Guardians' plans

The Guardians could address the back end of their rotation through a trade, and just about every contender is always a candidate at some point (often the trade deadline in July) to bolster the bullpen. And, as has been the case for some time, Amed Rosario remains a top trade candidate considering he's in the last year of arbitration eligibility and can be a free agent at the end of the 2023 season.

But the Guardians' situation at shortstop — and how Rosario fits into the team's short- and long-term plans — is a bit more nuanced than it was a year ago, even though he has remained one of the few players not under long-term control.

The Guardians are flush with talented prospects who can play shortstop. In addition to Andres Gimenez cementing himself into their long-term future (he can stick at second base or move over to shortstop at any point), Tyler Freeman, Brayan Rocchio, Gabriel Arias, Juan Brito and Jose Tena are all on the 40-man roster. Brito and Tena are still a ways off from the majors (Tena being closer than Brito), but Rocchio is nearing big-league readiness and Freeman and Arias have already made their major league debuts.

If Cleveland does pull off a trade of any kind, it's possible one or several of those names are included, as it remains the organization's biggest surplus.

The Guardians known they can contend in 2023 (and beyond). So while they're flush with youth knocking on the door, it doesn't mean the team wants to thrust everything upon their shoulders as soon as they walk through it and join the majors. It means one-year veterans can make sense, as is the case with Rosario and the plethora of shortstop options behind him, even if it means not getting anything in return before they walk to free agency.

It's also the case at catcher, with Zunino lessening the need for Naylor to handle all of the catching responsibilities right off the bat.



Guardians' turn toward 2023 playoff contenders makes Amed Rosario situation more nuanced

Had the Guardians taken a step back in 2022, and several things at both the major- and minor-league levels went awry, it would make much more sense to deal Rosario for whatever Cleveland can get for him now. And without the goal of contending, it'd be easier to deal Rosario as a more valuable player to a contender and sign a stop-gap shortstop on the open market if they weren't ready to start service time clocks.

Except, of all the contenders who could use Rosario to help them win now, the Guardians are at the top of the list. Rosario has put together back-to-back 2.4 fWAR seasons, making him not only a valuable, but perhaps more importantly, a stable piece to the lineup, even to the point that Jose Ramirez has campaigned for the Guardians to sign him to a long-term extension.

And with players like Rocchio, Freeman and others either ready or not far from it, keeping Rosario in the fold (unless a team overwhelms Cleveland with value) makes sense to both try to contend for a World Series in 2023 while also lessening the burden on younger players to produce at the major league level right away, even if that exact occurrence was a major factor to winning 92 games and the American League Central last summer.

That youth and those internal options do give the Guardians flexibility to pull off a trade if the right opportunity presents itself, but is also lessens their need to do so without getting back top value. Nothing has to be forced, and although the team always wants to set itself up in a better position for the long road, the opportunity to win now might keep Rosario in place.

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Ain't gonna happen with Dolan still in charge but a new owner might rip up Jose's contract and pay him what he's worth.

Not going to happen with any owner !

Jose is in a comfort zone folks!!!

Jose is familiar with and comfortable playing for the Cleveland organization.
After all, Cleveland's been his home away from home since he signed as a free agent in 2009 at the age of 17.
Jose is comfortable and has a connection with Francona and the fans.
Good reasons for staying.

Jose is right in saying:

‘$150 million or $200 million, my life is gonna be the same. I’m happier with $150 million in Cleveland than $200 million somewhere else.’”

Jose pledged his loyalty to the organization and to the fans.
Too bad more players don't have Jose's attitude.
Fans all around baseball have lost their idols to greed.

Gotta love Jose's attitude.
After all, he's taken a lot of cash to the bank

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The Players Association doesn't like players playing on the cheap. They feel the rising tide lifts all boats.

Who will be the first pitcher to help Guardians’ starting rotation? Hey, Hoynsie

Jan. 07, 2023

By Paul Hoynes,

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

Hey Hoynsie. Which minor league pitchers do you think will have the first significant impact on the Guards’ starting rotation? -- David England, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Hey, David: The organization has a lot of interesting arms waiting for a chance. That is always a good thing.

Cody Morris made five starts for the Guards last season and looked promising. Lefty Konnor Pilkington, who made 15 appearances for Cleveland, including 11 starts, while posting a 3.88 ERA, had his moments. No. 1 prospect Daniel Espino hardly pitched last season because of an injury so he’s going to need time. But Gavin Williams, a first round pick in 2021, who posted a 1.96 ERA in 25 starts at Class A Lake County and Class AA Akron with 149 strikeouts in 115 innings, could make some noise. Lefty Logan T. Allen made 27 starts at Akron and Columbus, striking out 177 in 132 2/3 innings.

Hey Hoynsie: What’s the Guardians plan for gambling at Progressive Field and an app? -- Mike, Avon.

Hey, Mike: The Guardians have applied for a gambling license and are expected to release more details on their plans in the near future. I would think a casino-like betting parlor would be part the refurbishing of Progressive Field.

Hey, Hoynsie: How are ticket sales trending after the Guardians’ success last year? Have you placed your bet on Guardians winning the division yet? --Patrick Grijak, Garfield Heights.

Hey, Patrick: At the moment the Guardians say it’s too early to tell what kind of influence the 2022 season will have on ticket sales for 2023. They will have a better feel when single game tickets go sale before opening day.

Hey Hoynsie: Have you been to all 30 current MLB team stadiums already? Which one is your favorite? -- John Kyle, Westfield Center,

Hey, John: The only current big-league ballpark I haven’t been to is Atlanta’s Truist Park. My favorite parks are Progressive Field, Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, T-Mobile Park and Target Field.

I miss Tiger Stadium, old Comiskey Park and the Metrodome.

Hey, Hoynsie: The average attendance at Progressive Field dropped from over 22,000 in 2019 (last full season before COVID) to just over 17,000 in 2022. How much of that was due to the name change? -- Andy Mees, Sandusky

Hey, Andy: I’m sure the name change had something to do with the drop in attendance. But I think the main cause was two years of restricted attendance in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID.

Hey, Hoynsie: Will the Guardians ever bring back the winter bus caravan? It was great fun when the team sent players and coaches to Columbus. It seems like a no-brainer with the Columbus Clippers being their Triple-A affiliate. -- Arthur Greenbaum, Columbus.

Hey, Arthur: You’re right, the winter caravan was fun except when you got stuck overnight in Erie, Pa., because of a blizzard or two. But that has been replaced by Tribe Fest and now Guard Fest. I think we’ve seen the last of the winter bus caravan.

Hey, Hoynsie: Have the Guardians announced their minor league managers and coaching staffs yet? -- Jim Harris, Lancaster.

Hey, Jim: The minor league managers and coaching staffs haven’t been announced. The announcement is made sometime in January. It all depends on how much turnover there has been.

There will be a few staff changes, but the all the minor league managers are expected to return. Where they’ll manage has yet to be determined.

Hey, Hoynsie: It looks like the Guardians missed an opportunity to add more pop to the lineup through free agency. Do you think they will be able to stay in the 2023 hunt until the trading deadline? -- Brent, Hunting Valley.

Hey, Brent: They signed switch-hitting Josh Bell and catcher Mike Zunino as free agents to improve their power. Bell hit 37 homers in 2019 for the Pirates. Zunino hit 33 homers for the Rays in 2021, but missed most of the 2022 season because of thoracic outlet syndrome in his left arm.

When it comes to predicting where the Guardians will be at the trading deadline, I’m the last person you want to ask. I picked them for third place last year.

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Realistic MLB Trades That Could Happen Before 2023 Spring Training

ZACHARY D. RYMER

JANUARY 8, 2023

7. Amed Rosario to Atlanta

Atlanta's offseason would look a whole lot worse without that trade for Murphy, but it's still hard to ignore the Dansby Swanson-sized hole it has at shortstop.

With Swanson gone to the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta seems serious about playing Vaughn Grissom at short. It's a questionable notion at best. Grissom didn't hack it defensively even at second base in 2022, and he was also so cold at the plate at the end of last season that he got benched in favor of Orlando Arcia.

With the free-agent market largely picked clean, Atlanta doesn't have much to lose by aiming high for a shortstop on the trade market. Specifically, for Amed Rosario.

There isn't any indication that the Cleveland Guardians want to trade Rosario. The rationale there is perhaps obvious. He's their starting shortstop, and he's fresh off hitting .283 and posting a career-high 4.2 rWAR in 2022.

And yet, the 27-year-old Rosario keeps popping up in trade speculation anyway. That's a function of his being a member of the Guardians who's heading into his walk year. That's a point at which Cleveland has been known to cash in the chip in question.

If Atlanta does come calling about Rosario, the Guardians could set their sights on Grissom and/or right-hander Ian Anderson, who's fallen out of favor since doing impressive work in the regular season and especially the postseason in 2020 and 2021.

It’s looking like the Braves will be trusting in Vaughn Grissom

Not only is Vaughn Grissom the next man up, he might just be getting all the keys to the shortstop castle in 2023.

So, it’s been a few days now since Dansby Swanson made his decision and got a lucrative payday from the Chicago Cubs. As far as the Cubs are concerned, I’d say that they’re going to get a helluva shortstop from a defensive standpoint. While there are questions about Dansby’s bat from a consistency standpoint, there’s no question about what he can do with his glove. He’s a bonafide stud out there at the keystone corner and between him and Nico Hoerner, the Cubs have got to be feeling pretty lovely about what they’ve got going on up the middle of the infield.

Also from a personal standpoint, Dansby will now be playing in the same city as his newly-wed wife, Mallory Pugh. Mallory plays for the Chicago Red Stars of the NWSL (and if you happened to catch the soccer bug following the World Cup and you’re still into it by the time 2023 rolls around, I highly recommend checking out the NWSL when it kicks off in late-March next year), so that means that they’ll be building a life together in Chicago. Just from that perspective alone, it seems like Dansby Swanson made the right choice and I’m sure I’m not the only one who will be wishing him all the luck in the world — as long as he gets plenty of bad luck while playing our Braves, of course.

Speaking of the Braves, where does that currently leave them? They’ve gone this far into the offseason without addressing their shortstop situation either via free agency or trade and only just now added an outfielder with the signing of Jordan Luplow. With that being said, Luplow is probably going to be battling for a position out of spring training and figures to be a platooon bat, at best. It’s a fine move on its own that title contenders make to round teams out but it’s definitely not the type of move that’s going to really move the needle. Still, we’re going to need some type of clear idea as to what the Braves are going to be doing at shortstop going forward.

With that being said, I think we all had an inkling of what was going to happen when it became apparent that the Braves weren’t going to be going for a splash signing when it came to the big free agent shortstops who were available. While there’s still a lot of time for the Braves to potentially pull off a trade or another acquisition, it appears that they’re heading towards the good ol’ “Next Man Up” approach. Which means Vaughn Grissom, come on down!



I’m going to be completely honest with y’all: Grissom was not initially going to be my first choice for 2023 Opening Day shortstop starter for the Braves. He also wasn’t my second choice! My first one would’ve been seeing the Braves bring home one of the top free agent shortstops on the board (my conspiracy theory connecting the Braves to Carlos Correa turned out to be a flash in the pan) and the second choice would’ve been to bring back Dansby Swanson if it came down to it. I don’t think anybody here would’ve strongly objected to Swanson staying in Atlanta for a few more years, right? Either way, I’m not going to lie to y’all: I was pretty concerned about the Braves potentially heading into next season by throwing Vaughn Grissom into the fire like that.

However, my opinion went from “Oh no” to “Well hold on a second, now; maybe they should give this a whirl” when I saw a couple of things over this offseason. The first thing was the preliminary ZiPS projections that Dan Szymborski runs over at FanGraphs. While we haven’t seen the individual numbers yet, the Braves are still projected to be a very good team on paper (a division-winning team, in fact) and that was assuming that Dansby Swanson would, in fact, be dipping on out of town. That’s because Szymborski had this very interesting nugget to say about the current situation in Atlanta:

Here we see the results of Alex Anthopoulos ruthlessly ensuring that Atlanta’s entire core stays put for a very long time. Dansby Swanson is a big loss, but when you see the projection for Vaughn Grissom, you’ll understand why the Braves dominate this very preliminary run of the NL East standings.

Well that’s certainly intriguing! Granted, I can understand if people are a little wary of ZiPS since it’s one of those newfangled projections that only us nerds really buy into with regularity, but that definitely caught my attention in a positive way. Another thing was seeing these comments from Ron Washington, who has been working hard with Vaughn Grissom so far during the offseason

So the analytics are saying that Vaughn Grissom could be in line to be a very capable replacement for Dansby Swanson and Grissom is also passing Ron Washington’s discerning eye test. While Alex Anthopoulos’s comments could always be interpreted as GM-speak, that’s still enough information to conclude that maybe there’s something there with Vaughn Grissom as the Braves head into 2023. While he kicked open the doors to the majors in memorable fashion, it would be understandable to be a little skeptical of whether or not he’ll be able to keep it up for a full campaign going forward.

That’s why I figure that they Braves should still add at the shortstop position before the offseason is over. While it would be lovely if Grissom just hit the ground running and became the everyday shortstop right out of the gate with Orlando Arcia filling in every now and then, it would be nice to not just foist all the pressure on him during his first full season.



One thing I don’t see happening is another trade. While I’m still pretty confident in the Braves when it comes to player evaluation and development, I think we’ve finally reached the end of an era when it comes to Atlanta’s system being chockful of prospects. All of the potential impact prospects have either graduated, been traded, or are still years away from being big-league ready. That means that the pickings will be pretty slim when it comes to shipping off farmhands for big league talent and that’s why I figure a splash trade probably won’t be imminent any time soon.

That leaves the free agency option and the obvious two answers here are Elvis Andrus and José Iglesias. Both of them are basically tied for being the best available shortstops left on the free agency market and they’re absolutely a couple of tiers below the marquee signings. Also, no matter who you get when it comes to these two, it’s pretty clear that you’re signing them for their glove and not their bat — Andrus has only had two full seasons where he cleared the league average mark of 100 wRC+ (109 in 2016 and 105 in 2017) and Iglesias has only done it once in a season where he played more than 100 games (102 wRC+ in 2013).

Elvis Andrus can still play defense at a very solid level (3 OAA last season put him in the 84th percentile of all qualified defenders) and José Iglesias can get it done with the glove as well. I’d imagine that either one of them would serve as a defensive upgrade over Grissom, whose defensive capabilities are the main reason as to why he’s not really being projected to become elite at the position. He can definitely rake but he’s still going to need plenty of work at defense, which is why he’s been with Ron Washington all offseason and why fans are looking at the two aforementioned free agents as potential options to come in.

Either way, I’m really hoping that the Braves do address their situation at shortstop. I honestly think they might stand pat at DH and see what they’ve got with simply utilizing their current internal options for that spot and I’m also going to reiterate that while the Jordan Luplow signing is nice, some more help would be even nicer. It’s clear that the Braves still have a very good team that is already primed to be in the postseason conversation for a long time but it still would be good to see the team splash a decent amount of money to improve one of those other sports.

If they don’t fortify things at shortstop, then Vaughn Grissom’s going to have a ton of responsibility on his plate for his first full season in the majors. This team has a good track record of throwing their kids to the fire and watching them come out unscathed and it seems like they’re on track to do it once again as they head into this upcoming season.

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Guardians catching situation: Where do Bo Naylor, others fit in around Mike Zunino?

Cleveland Guardians' Bo Naylor warms up before a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals in Cleveland, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
By Zack Meisel

CLEVELAND — There’s a new catching regime in Cleveland. Things are different, starting with the fact that the new guy wore a shirt in his introductory news conference. Yeah, it’s going to take time to get used to all of this.

Austin Hedges is a Pittsburgh Pirate. Luke Maile is a Cincinnati Red.

In Cleveland, Mike Zunino won’t go it alone. The Guardians have assembled a cast of six catchers, and each could factor into the equation at some point this season. This wasn’t their Plan A; they had pursued Sean Murphy since the summer — you know what? Let’s try to go the entire article without mentioning him again. The Guardians and A’s held plenty of discussions about a trade for six months before Oakland dealt Murphy to Atlanta. We covered it ad nauseam. Cleveland pivoted to Zunino. So let’s focus on him, and the five other catchers vying for an opportunity.
The starter: Mike Zunino

Mike Zunino hasn’t totaled 400 plate appearances in a season since 2018. (Nathan Ray Seebeck / USA Today)

The question with Zunino is how frequently he’ll play. He appeared in only 36 games last season before undergoing surgery on his non-throwing shoulder. His recovery has progressed to the point in which he’s preparing for spring training as he typically would. But the role of many catchers has changed. Even if Zunino handles the bulk of the catching duties, as team president Chris Antonetti suggested is the plan, what sort of workload does that entail?

“I think the dynamic has changed a little bit,” Zunino said. “I think you see that throughout the league. There’s a lot more of keeping guys a little bit fresher.”

Zunino has never totaled 500 plate appearances in a season, topping out at 476 in 2014. He hasn’t reached the 400 mark since 2018.

Cleveland’s catchers have averaged 623 plate appearances over the past four full seasons. So, that would leave at least 200 to 250 plate appearances for Zunino’s cohorts.

“Seasons are so dependent on things we can’t control in the catching position,” he said. “There’s bumps and bruises that you take, whether you’re doing a lot of blocking, or foul balls. … The older you get, the more you play this game at this level, taking care of your body (takes) precedent and you have to know what your body needs.”

Zunino, 31, said his goal is to be available as often as possible. But, as he noted, the playing time question isn’t specific to him. It’s a leaguewide trend.

Only six players started at least 100 games at catcher in 2022. Philadelphia’s J.T. Realmuto led the way with 130 starts behind the plate, followed by Oakland’s catcher [redacted] (116 starts), Houston’s Martín Maldonado (110), the Dodgers’ Will Smith (106), Miami’s Jacob Stallings (103) and Texas’ Jonah Heim (102).
Each team's 2022 leader in starts at C
J.T. Realmuto

Phillies

130
Sean Murphy

Athletics

116
Martin Maldonado

Astros

110
Will Smith

Dodgers

106
Jacob Stallings

Marlins

103
Jonah Heim

Rangers

102
Austin Hedges

Guardians

99
Cal Raleigh

Mariners

99
Travis d'Arnaud

Braves

99
Keibert Ruiz

Nationals

97
Austin Nola

Padres

94
Elias Díaz

Rockies

94
Max Stassi

Angels

92
Tucker Barnhart

Tigers

90
José Trevino

Yankees

89
Carson Kelly

Diamondbacks

86
Tomas Nido

Mets

86
Adley Rutschman

Orioles

84
Omar Narvaez

Brewers

80
Gary Sanchez

Twins

80
Joey Bart

Giants

80
Andrew Knizner

Cardinals

78
Salvador Pérez

Royals

74
Alejandro Kirk

Blue Jays

74
Christian Vazquez

Red Sox

73
Willson Contreras

Cubs

72
Francisco Mejía

Rays

70
Yasmani Grandal

White Sox

64
Jason Delay

Pirates

49
Tyler Stephenson

Reds

43

On average, teams used 4.4 different catchers last season, with a high of seven by the Reds and Pirates.

Here is Cleveland’s annual breakdown of games started at catcher. Only once in the past eight seasons has a Cleveland catcher started at least two-thirds of the games behind the plate.

2022: Austin Hedges 97, Luke Maile 55, Sandy León 6, Bryan Lavastida 4
2021: Austin Hedges 85, Roberto Pérez 43, René Rivera 17, Wilson Ramos 9, Ryan Lavarnway 8
2020: Roberto Pérez 30, Sandy León 20, Beau Taylor 7, Austin Hedges 3
2019: Roberto Pérez 114, Kevin Plawecki 46, Eric Haase 2
2018: Yan Gomes 105, Roberto Pérez 55, Eric Haase 2
2017: Yan Gomes 96, Roberto Pérez 66
2016: Yan Gomes 65, Roberto Pérez 53, Chris Gimenez 42, Adam Moore 1
2015: Yan Gomes 90, Roberto Pérez 61, Brett Hayes 9, Adam Moore 1

And that explains why, even with Bo Naylor on the verge of a major-league role, the Guardians initially pursued Mur — err, an established catcher with several years of team control. There’s room for multiple talented catchers, especially if one or both can shift to first base or occupy the designated hitter spot on occasion. Even if Zunino stays healthy, he’ll need a supporting cast.

So, who are the contenders to join him?

Related: What Zunino can offer Cleveland
The top prospect: Bo Naylor
Bo Naylor appeared in five games for the Guardians last season. (Frank Jansky / Icon Sportswire)

Naylor took such a leap in 2022 he convinced the Guardians to add him to the roster at the end of the regular season, just so he could benefit from being exposed to the major-league environment. For about three weeks, he shadowed Hedges, Maile and Sandy Alomar Jr.

Naylor endured a dreadful 2021 season at the plate, but members of the organization acknowledged they figured it might be a challenge for him after the pandemic wiped out the 2020 minor-league season.

“That was such a pivotal year for him,” said Luke Carlin, Cleveland’s catching coordinator.

Naylor at Double A in 2021: .189/.280/.332 slash line in 355 PA
Naylor at Double A in 2022: .271/.427/.471 slash line in 220 PA
Naylor at Triple A in 2022: .257/.366/.514 slash line in 290 PA

Naylor returned to Double-A Akron at the start of last season, and produced drastically improved walk and strikeout rates, along with power and speed. He made defensive strides, too. Carlin noted progress with Naylor’s throwing, which could pay dividends with big-league rule changes that encourage basestealing. Naylor also made it a priority to learn Spanish so he could communicate better with teammates, especially the pitchers with whom he partners.

“I can handle my own,” he told me, “but I’m definitely still in that learning process to make myself that much easier to talk to. Plus, it’s fun. I like to be able to get to know some guys better than I would have if I didn’t really take the time out to learn part of their culture. Getting to know them on a deeper personal level, without the language barrier, has been fruitful.”

The way manager Terry Francona and members of the front office have talked this winter, it sounds like the Guardians want to ease Naylor into a regular big-league role. He’ll surely enter the mix at some point this season, even if it’s not on Opening Day. But it wouldn’t be surprising to see him start the year at Triple-A Columbus after another spring spent around Alomar, Carlin and some veteran catchers. Zunino has already talked about wanting to mentor Naylor, who will turn 23 next month.

“I’m an open book when it comes to it,” Zunino said. “And, ultimately, the game is about passing down what you know.”

Naylor said a key for him is learning details about each pitcher’s tendencies, their preferences in certain counts, and the tempo with which they like to operate.

“With more reps,” he said, “they’ll hopefully begin to trust in me. It’s a matter of knowing them better.”
The Kansas City backups: Cam Gallagher, Meibrys Viloria
Meibrys Viloria can’t corral the ball on a play at the plate. (Jerome Miron / USA Today)

Both Gallagher and Viloria, signed to minor-league deals with invitations to big-league camp, filled in for Salvador Perez with the Royals in recent years.

Here’s what FanGraphs’ Steamer projection system forecasts for this season:

Gallagher: .218/.282/.332 slash line, 76 wRC+ (100 is league-average offensive production)

Viloria: .208/.311/.327 slash line, 86 wRC+ (in large part thanks to an 11.9 percent walk rate)

Viloria, 25, has above-average pop time measurements and a strong track record of throwing out runners (36 percent in his career; league average is 27 percent).

Gallagher, 30, has thrown out 29 percent of aspiring basestealers in his career and has typically rated well in defensive runs saved and framing metrics.

For either player to land the backup catcher gig, they would need to be added to the 40-man roster.
The wild cards: David Fry, Bryan Lavastida
David Fry in the Arizona Fall League. (Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)

Fry, 27, is an interesting candidate because of his versatility. During a game in the Brewers organization on June 16, 2019, he played every position in the field aside from pitcher. Milwaukee traded him to Cleveland last year for J.C. Mejía. Fry posted a .256/.329/.450 slash line at Columbus last season, with 17 home runs and 27 doubles in 119 games. He caught only 12 games, instead spending most of his time at the corner infield spots. That’s due, in part, to the presence of Naylor (and, for a bit, Lavastida). After the season, Fry played in the Arizona Fall League and worked with Carlin and others at the club’s Arizona facility on his duties behind the plate. It seems like he could be a useful bench player at some point, given the flexibility he’d offer Francona.

We can’t dismiss Lavastida, who was on the Opening Day roster last year, occupies a spot on the 40-man roster and was a rising prospect in the system before enduring a rough 2022 campaign.

But was his 2022 season an outlier?

2018: .292/.415/.367 slash line
2019: .335/.410/.481 slash line
2021: .289/.380/.456 slash line
2022: .209/.284/.349 slash line

Lavastida, 24, usually has posted pretty even walk and strikeout rates, but those numbers veered off in different directions last year. He also battled injuries and limped to a .584 OPS in 45 games at Akron, despite performing well enough there a year earlier to earn a promotion to Columbus.

His situation is worth monitoring. Where will he start the year? The organization can’t carry all six of these guys in Cleveland and Columbus. Will Lavastida again return to Akron? Since he’s on the 40-man roster and isn’t a stranger, could he play his way into the conversation to be Zunino’s backup? Might Gallagher or Viloria find work elsewhere if they don’t break camp with Cleveland, or will one or both head to Columbus?

There’s a lot to sort out. The only certainties are Zunino will be the starter, Naylor will be the future, and the Guardians anticipate they’ll have to lean on at least a few of these catchers at various points in 2023.

Carlos Correa returns to Twins, but Guardians may still have best SS in AL Central

Jan. 10, 2023, 9:27 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

The spinning top that is Carlos Correa has finally come to rest at Target Field. The Twins will pay Correa $200 million over the next six years to play shortstop for them.

This agreement comes after Correa opted out of a three-year $105 million deal with the Twins at the end of last season, agreed to a 13-year $350 million deal with the Giants and then agreed to a 12-year $315 million deal with the Mets.

So much for a deal is a deal is a deal.

The Giants and Mets backed out because of concerns over Correa’s right ankle and problems restructuring the orginal contracts with agent Scott Boras. The Twins, who watched Correa hit .291 for them last season, apparently didn’t have as many concerns.

But here’s something to ponder:

After all that is Carlos Correa the best shortstop in the AL Central? Or could it be Amed Rosario, who is scheduled to exchange salary figures with the Guardians on Friday because he’s eligible for arbitration?

If nothing else, he’s a bargain compared to Correa.

Rosario is projected to earn $9 million in 2023, his final year before free agency. The average annual value of Correa’s contract is $33.33 million. But a huge paycheck doesn’t mean he automatically goes to the head of the class.

Here’s how Rosario ranked offensively last season against the other four main shortstops in the AL Central.


Rosario, Guardians: .283 (180 for 637), 153 games, 86 runs, 26 doubles, nine triples, 11 homers, 71 RBI, 18 for 22 stolen bases, 111 strikeouts, 25 walks, .715 OPS, 4.2 WAR.

Correa, Twins: .291 (152 for 522), 136 games, 70 runs, 24 doubles, one triples, 22 homers, 64 RBI, 0 for 1 stolen bases, 121 strikeouts, 61 walks, .834 OPS, 5.4 WAR.

Javy Baez, Tigers: .238 (132 for 555), 144 games, 64 runs, 27 doubles, four triples, 17 homers, 67 RBI, 9 for 11 stolen bases, 147 strikeouts, 26 walks, .671 OPS and 2.5 WAR.

Bobby Witt Jr., Royals: .254 (150 for 591), 150 games, 82 runs, 31 doubles, six triples, 20 homers, 80 RBI, 30 for 37 stolen bases, 30 walks, 135 strikeouts, .722 OPS 0.8 WAR.

Tim Anderson, White Sox: .301 (100 for 332), 50 runs, 13 doubles, six homers, 25 RBI, 13 for 13 stolen bases, 14 walks, 55 strikeouts, .737 OPS, 1.3 WAR.

With the arrival of BetMGM in Ohio, Ohio bettors can now place bets. Other sportsbooks in Ohio include Barstool Ohio, Caesars Ohio and DraftKings.

Here’s how Rosario, according to Fangraphs, ranked defensively last season compared to the shortstops in the AL Central:

Rosario: 140 games at shortstop, 139 starts, 1,241 innings, 151 putouts, 357 assists, 12 errors, 55 double plays, .977 fielding percentage, six defensive runs saved, -7 Outs Above Average.

Correa: 132 games at shortstop, 129 starts, 1,131.1 innings, 157 putouts, 307 assists, eight errors, 48 double plays, .983 fielding percentage, three defensive runs saved, -3 Outs Above Average.

Baez: 133 games at shortstop, 132 starts, 1,122 2/3 innings, 187 putouts, 354 assists, 26 errors, 72 double plays, .954 fielding percentage, -4 defensive runs saved, +2 Outs Above Average.

Witt: 98 games at shortstop, 96 starts, 825 2/3 innings, 113 putouts, 259 assists, 16 errors, 46 double plays, .959 fielding percentage, -4 defensive runs sved, -3 Outs Above Average.

Anderson: 79 games at shortstop, 79 starts, 691 innings, 99 putouts, 203 assists, 10 errors, 57 double plays, .977 fielding percentage, -7 defensive runs saved, -2 Outs Above Average.

Here are a couple of things to take into consideration. Anderson played only 79 games last season because of an injury to his left hand. Witt, a rookie, bounced between short and third. The Tigers signed Baez to a six-year $140 million deal before last season and then watched him have one of the worst years of his career.

Rosario is headed into his third season with Cleveland. He has become a favorite of manager Terry Francona’s because of his speed and hustle at the top or the order. He finished third in the AL with 180 hits last season to go along with the 155 hits he had in 2021.

Defensively, Rosario is not the Gold Glove defender that Correa is, but he has improved. Despite that it seems doubtful that there is much of a future for Rosario in Cleveland after 2023.

Who knows, he might not even make it to opening day. Boston announced Tuesday that Trevor Story is expected to miss a big part of the 2023 season because of surgery on his right elbow. Story was expected to move from second to shortstop to replace departed Xander Bogaerts, who left for San Diego.

Chaim Bloom, Boston’s chief baseball officer, said the team is exploring trade options to fill the hole at shortstop. Rosario would be a logical target and the Guardians have options to replace him.

Gold Glove second baseman Andres Gimenez could move to shortstop. Tyler Freeman or Gabriel Arias could takeover at second. The Guardians also have middle infielders Brayan Rocchio, Jose Tena, Juan Brito and Angel Martinez on the 40-man roster.

Rosario doesn’t have the postseason resume that Correa, who helped the Astros win the World Series -- banging trash can included -- in 2017. But he played a big role in Cleveland powering past Correa’s Twins and White Sox down the stretch last year on the way to an AL Central championship that no one saw coming.

He is a good fit in Cleveland’s lineup, hitting behind Steven Kwan and in front of Jose Ramirez. Rosario’s entire game does nothing but help the Guardians.

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Cleveland Guardians need to stop messing around and extend Shane Bieber

By Steve DiMatteo

7:24 AM EST

If the Cleveland Guardians want to keep the good times rolling over the next 3-5 years, they need to sign Shane Bieber to a contract extension.

I just can't get this thought out of my head of the Guardians re-signing Bieber and allowing him to become the superstar mentor of the pitching staff much in the same way third baseman José Ramírez is now positioned to be for the lineup.

It's a no-brainer move the Guardians should make, but it's by no means a guarantee, even when you do factor in Bieber's recent injury history. At this point, he's been a dominant starter for a while, even with revamped mechanics that saw his velocity dip in 2022, but not his effectiveness. He sported the second-best ERA of his career at 2.88 over 31 starts, in addition to a 2.87 FIP and 132 ERA+. He might not be striking out hitters at the same rate these days, but he's walking guys at the lowest rate of his career as well.

Okay, So What Would a Shane Bieber Extension Look Like?

Believe it or not, but an extension for Bieber really isn't that far-fetched, especially as the Guardians are seemingly committed to increasing the payroll in this time of contention.

Let's take a gander at a couple recent pitcher extensions to see what the Guardians might have to work with. This September, the Mariners signed pitcher Luis Castillo to a five-year, $108 million extension through 2027 with an option for 2028. To be honest, that's an absolutely perfect example for Cleveland.

Stat-wise, Castillo and Bieber aren't all that far off, either. In 2022, the Mariners ace sported a 2.99 ERA between Cincinnati and Seattle, with a 3.07 FIP and 138 ERA+. There is of course plenty more to consider - Bieber is three years younger - but that's not a bad comparison to make.

Additionally, this past summer, Joe Musgrove of the Padres signed a five-year extension of his own with San Diego for $100 million. The 30-year-old righty finished 2022 with a 2.93 ERA, 3.59 FIP, and 127 ERA+.

Giving Bieber a five-year extension (with an option if you're feeling really wild) like that works in a number of ways. Not only do you buy out his last two years of arbitration, but you get him for another three years on top of that, where he'll become a free agent again when he is 32 and could easily command another massive contract.

It's hard to say exactly what Bieber's market value would be. Because pitching is often at a premium, there will no doubt be a team willing to spend big to acquire him, even if he barely hits 91 mph with his fastball these days.

But the Guardians could do themselves a real favor by locking Bieber up as soon as possible, ideally even before this spring training wraps up. With what appears to be a loaded farm system, keeping the likes of Bieber and Ramírez around for the long haul will be instrumental in maintaining that ideal blend of veteran talent and young, hungry players.

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Cleveland Guardians prospects outlook: 14 who could make MLB debuts in 2023

Perros Calientes De Akron outfielder George Valera (13) during an Eastern League baseball game against the Erie Pinatas on May 11, 2022 at Canal Park in Akron, Ohio. (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images via AP)
By Zack Meisel
1h ago

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CLEVELAND — Quick, name the 17 players who made their major-league debut for the Guardians in 2022.

Steven Kwan, yes, the third-place finisher in a loaded American League Rookie of the Year field. Oscar Gonzalez, who enjoyed a “SpongeBob Squarepants”-themed October breakout, of course. Bo Naylor made a late-season cameo. Gabriel Arias and Tyler Freeman. Will Brennan and Will Benson. Cody Morris, Hunter Gaddis, Konnor Pilkington and Xzavion Curry. That’s 11.

Hmmm, it gets a bit more difficult after that.

Richie Palacios. Bryan Lavastida. Kirk McCarty. There’s 14.

Nolan Jones, now a Colorado Rockie. Alex Call spent three weeks with the Guardians, and it seemed like he had an entire section of friends and family at every home game. Tanner Tully, the former Ohio State Buckeye, made three appearances, each in a different month.

The Guardians tied a franchise record with the 17 debuts. A year ago, I wrote “13 Cleveland Guardians prospects who could break into the big leagues in 2022.” Nine of them did (plus Peyton Battenfield, sort of, though he never pitched in a game). Eight others joined the fun, too.

Are there even any prospects remaining who could debut in 2023? Oh yes. I’ll take the under on 17 this year, but here are 14 who could enter the conversation.
14. IF/OF Jhonkensy Noel

He’s a 21-year-old with the might to muscle a fastball to the moon. The question is, can he make enough contact to survive against major-league pitching? Noel posted a .348/.396/.636 slash line in A-ball in 2021, the year he graduated from teenager status. Last season, split between High A and Double A (plus a September cameo in Triple A), he registered a .229/.310/.489 slash line. There’s also the question of where he fits defensively. In 2022, he started 50 games in right field, 25 at designated hitter, 24 at third base, 17 in left field and 17 at first base.
13. SP Tanner Burns

The second-highest-rated starting pitcher named Tanner in the Guardians’ system, Burns reached Double A last season. He posted a 3.56 ERA in 164 1/3 innings, with 183 strikeouts, though he did walk more than four batters per nine innings. At 24, the 2020 first-round pick could be ready to start the season at Triple-A Columbus, but the organization has quite the logjam in the upper levels.
12. SP Peyton Battenfield

Battenfield spent a long weekend with the Guardians last August, joining the club in Detroit on a getaway day and then replacing James Karinchak on the active roster for their series in Toronto. He never made it into a game, though. Will he get his chance, or could his career wind up mirroring that of Moonlight Graham? The Guardians acquired Battenfield from Tampa Bay for Jordan Luplow in 2021. That year, he recorded impressive numbers at High A and Double A, with a 2.53 ERA, a ridiculous .219 opponent on-base percentage and 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings. But his peripherals suffered in 2022, with his strikeout rate nearly dropping in half, his walk rate doubling and his hit rate soaring. Cleveland opted not to add Battenfield to the 40-man roster and he went unselected in the Rule 5 draft. The 25-year-old has a ton of competition at Columbus in the battle for rotation consideration.
11. SS Brayan Rocchio
Brayan Rocchio (Norm Hall / Getty Images)

Rocchio, who turns 22 on Friday, is a consensus Top 100 prospect who logged a .755 OPS last season between Akron and Columbus. Since he made his Triple A debut in 2022, he’s one call from the big leagues, but a few people stand in his way: Amed Rosario, Andrés Giménez, Arias and Freeman. That doesn’t mean Rocchio can’t nudge his way onto the roster at some point in 2023, but he’ll need others to flounder, land on the injured list or be included in a trade to help thin the middle-infield crowd. If not for that surplus, we could toss Jose Tena’s name onto this list, too, since he ended last season at Triple A.
10. (tie) RP Nick Mikolajchak, RP Andrew Misiaszek

The Guardians lost relievers Nic Enright and Kevin Kelly in the Rule 5 draft, but Mikolajchak and Misiaszek — say those names five times fast (or one time slow) — remained in the organization. Mikolajchak seemed to be on a fast track to the majors, but then this happened …

2021: 5.6% walk rate, 35.2% strikeout rate
2022: 13.7% walk rate, 23.6% strikeout rate

One National League scout told me he was surprised another team didn’t grab Mikolajchak in the Rule 5 draft. Misiaszek, Aaron Civale’s former teammate at Northeastern, posted a 2.04 ERA between Akron and Columbus last season, with 90 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings.
8. C/IF David Fry

The elder statesman on the list, Fry is 27 but offers defensive versatility that would surely appeal to a flexibility-phile like manager Terry Francona. Fry, who has appeared at the corner infield spots and at catcher, was acquired in a trade with the Brewers for J.C. Mejía a year ago and had a solid year at the plate for Columbus last season, with 17 homers, 27 doubles and a .779 OPS. He played in the Arizona Fall League and worked on his skills behind the plate at the club’s complex this winter. Outside of Mike Zunino and, eventually, Bo Naylor, there should be some opportunities behind the plate this season.
7. (tie) SP Daniel Espino, SP Gavin Williams, SP Tanner Bibee

These three, all widely considered Top 100 prospects, are the future of Cleveland’s rotation. Part of the future could arrive as soon as this summer. The front office has resisted trade offers for the three. Now it’s a race to the big leagues. Williams and Bibee advanced from High A to Double A last year, their first professional seasons that included game action. The results were jarring. It stands to reason both will be in Columbus before long.

Bibee: 132 2/3 innings, 2.17 ERA, 1.8 BB/9, 11.3 K/9, .603 opponent OPS
Williams: 115 innings, 1.96 ERA, 3.1 BB/9, 11.7 K/9, .528 opponent OPS

Espino, on the other hand, started the year at Akron but made only four starts before knee and shoulder injuries derailed his season. In those four starts, he struck out 35 batters in 18 1/3 innings.
4. SP Joey Cantillo

It’s just a matter of health for Cantillo, who spent the entire 2022 season at Akron. He was part of the six-player package Cleveland received from San Diego for Mike Clevinger in 2020, but he has totaled only 73 2/3 innings since. The lefty limited opponents to a .178 average and .277 slugging percentage in 60 2/3 innings, and though his walk rate was a bit high, he did rack up 87 strikeouts. In parts of five minor-league seasons, he owns a 2.38 ERA, with more than twice as many strikeouts as hits allowed.
3. SP Logan Allen

Cleveland’s second-round pick in 2020 out of Florida International, the lefty could make it five consecutive years the organization employs a Logan Allen at the big-league level. (I, too, had completely forgotten Logan S. Allen pitched for the Guardians last April.) This Logan Allen, Logan T. Allen, breezed through Cleveland’s system with a standout 2021, his first professional season, and a strong start at Double A in 2022 before he hit a speed bump upon a promotion to Triple A. There, he recorded an uncharacteristically high walk rate. He figures to return to Columbus to begin 2023, but if he can regain his command, he could carve out a spot near the top of the rotation waiting list.
2. OF George Valera

Valera does three things with regularity at the plate: He walks, he strikes out and he hits for power. Can he do more of the walking and hitting for power and trim the strikeout rate? He turned 22 in November, so there’s plenty of time for him to evolve as a hitter and leverage his plate discipline skills. At the moment, his profile feels Carlos Santana-esque (not that that’s a bad thing). Valera reached Triple A last summer, so if the Guardians need a corner outfielder at some point in 2023, he could receive consideration. His 2022 numbers: .250/.353/.463 slash line, 24 homers, 25 doubles, 74 walks and 145 strikeouts in 132 games.
1. RP Tim Herrin

Herrin has the easiest path to the majors of anyone on this list because … the Guardians added him to the 40-man roster in November, there’s at least one vacancy in the bullpen, there isn’t a lot of competition, he’s a tall left-hander, he can pitch multiple innings, he throws in the mid-90s, and teams cycle through relievers every season. (gasps for air) Is that enough justification? Herrin, 26, was a 29th-round pick in 2018 out of Indiana University. He was dominant at Akron last season — 22 1/3 innings, five runs, six walks, 37 strikeouts — before earning a promotion to Columbus, where his strikeout rate remained strong, but his ERA jumped to 4.98.

Your kind of article civ!!

Detroit Tigers shrink Comerica Park -- and the Guardians’ Jose Ramirez is smiling

Jan. 11, 2023

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

Comerica Park, the place were 400-foot fly balls go to die, is getting smaller.

That should make Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez a happy man. Ramirez has enjoyed some of the biggest offensive games in his career in the Tigers’ den.

The Tigers announced Wednesday that they’re bringing in the center field wall to 412 feet compared to the original 422 feet. They’re also dropping it from 8 1/2 feet to 7 feet in height. It had been the deepest center field fence in the big leagues.

Detroit is shortening the wall in right center field from 13 feet to seven feet and the wall in right field from 8 1/2 feet to seven feet.

The Tigers, with the banning of the shift for 2023, are looking for more offense. Last season they finished last in the big leagues with 110 homers and 557 runs. They hit just 52 homers at home, second last to Cleveland’s 50.

Ramirez’s two favorite road ballparks are Comerica and Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the White Sox. He has a career-high 50 RBI at each site.

In 66 games at Comerica, Ramirez is hitting .278 (68 for 245) with 17 doubles, seven triples, 13 homers and a .918 OPS.

In 74 games at Guaranteed Rate Field, he’s hitting .255 (68 for 267) with 14 doubles, two triples, 18 homers and 50 RBI.

Ramirez’s best day at Comerica came on Sept. 3, 2017. He went 5 for 5 with all five hits -- three doubles and two homers -- going for extra bases. He was just the third Cleveland player to have five extra base hits in one game.

In his career, Ramirez has four two-homer games at Comerica, the last coming on Sept. 20, 2020. He set his career high in RBI with five at Comerica Park on May 28 of last season, going 3 for 5 with a homer and triple.

The Guardians have enjoyed their share of success at Comerica as well. Since 2016, they’re 43-21 on Detroit’s home turf.

Jason Beck, Tigers beat writer for mlb.com, noted that based on Statcast readings of batted-ball distances since 2015, Comerica Park has produced 55 outs of more than 410 feet. Coors Field is second at 48, but no other park has more than 18. Of the 38 outs that have traveled 420 or more feet, 13 have come at Comerica.

The Tigers are hoping all that changes in 2023. If it does, Ramirez won’t complain.

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Guardians announce Progressive Field Reimagined: Renovation Projects & Timeline

January 12th, 2023

Mandy Bell

CLEVELAND --

After a year of imagining what Progressive Field could look like -- both for fans and players -- the blueprints for the ballpark’s renovations are coming together.

On Thursday afternoon, the Guardians announced their plans for updating Progressive Field over the next couple of offseasons.

“As we sought feedback from our fans regarding what they’d like to see at Progressive Field,” president of business operations Brian Barren said, “we continuously heard feedback that aligned with the success we’ve seen at the Corner Bar, and that is a focus on more social spaces and compelling fan experiences, offering unique ways to enjoy a baseball game.”

“We have called Progressive Field home since 1994,” owner, chairman and CEO Paul Dolan said. “As the 11th-oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, Progressive Field reimagined will continue to improve and extend the life of the ballpark.”

THE VISION

The Guardians worked with their lead design architect, Manica, to create a video that best paints a picture of what Progressive Field should look like once these renovations are complete. Here’s an overview of each step.



Terrace Hub

Anyone who has visited Progressive Field has seen the glass windows that cover the seating in the 200 and 300 levels in the left-field corner. The plan is to transform that area into an open-air hub with ticketed seating on those two levels, just below an authentic-to-Cleveland Beer Hall with food and beverages on the 400 level that will be available to all fans.


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Revamped upper deck

The Guardians learned that the No. 1 thing fans wanted was more social spaces, and the reimagined upper deck will help with that. A beer garden will be added down the left-field line, and a new group outing space will be implemented in right field. New concession spaces, including two View Box bars, will be added to improve the ability to view the field while on the concourse.


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Revamped upper deck

The Guardians learned that the No. 1 thing fans wanted was more social spaces, and the reimagined upper deck will help with that. A beer garden will be added down the left-field line, and a new group outing space will be implemented in right field. New concession spaces, including two View Box bars, will be added to improve the ability to view the field while on the concourse.


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Dugout Club

The Guardians will keep the same premium seating in their dugout club for fans to enjoy, but will be adding an exclusive lounge behind home plate. The club will also feature seven private lounges that will allow for a more intimate group experience.


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Clubhouses and service level

For the first time since the ballpark opened in 1994, both clubhouses and the service level will be renovated, with an increased focus on making the home clubhouse better equipped to increase player performance, training and recovery. This will include expanded and enhanced strength and conditioning and athletic training areas, improved kitchen facilities and more robust technological support for players, coaches and staff members.

East 9th Street building

In order to make the changes that the Guardians are envisioning in their clubhouse, they’ll need much more space. A four-level building will be erected on East 9th Street to create roughly 20,000 square feet of room to expand these facilities. The rooftop will connect to the upper concourse of the ballpark and will also serve as a new group space at Progressive Field.

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