Cleveland Guardians are facing an inflection point of the offseason with no new bats and minimal roster moves. Will their 2026 hopes hinge on prospects Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana and does that mean they NEED to be on the Opening Day Roster? The front office’s commitment to youth leaves us to wonder if deliberate service time manipulation is right for Bazzana while DeLauter’s injury history complicates his role on the Opening Day roster.

Justin Lada and Jeff Ellis analyze the stagnant free agent market, weigh the value of trade aggressiveness, and dissect Cleveland’s penchant for secrecy, including the under-the-radar extension of manager Stephen Vogt. Is the Guardians’ strategy smart, or does their reluctance to take risks on the trade front and in player acquisitions jeopardize their path back to World Series contention?

Everydayer Club

If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans.

Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Gametime

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONMLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.

FanDuel

Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. The NBA and NFL seasons are here, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-guardians/

Locked On MLB League-Wide: Every Team, Prospects & More

🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/mlb/

#Guardians #ClevelandGuardians #MLB

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Cleveland Guardians cautious free agency strategy and ability to pivot elsewhere holds them back. Colin Holderman, Connor Brogdon, and Peyton Palette are good bullpen depth additions that they needed, yet they still lack high-leverage help and potential outfield upgrades. Should the Guardians pursue Robert Refsnyder or push for bigger trades with names like Brendan Donovan and Ketel Marte on the radar? Is their consistently rational bidding causing them to finish third on every major free agent?

Justin Lada breaks down the team’s blueprint, emphasizing the need for stronger mid-tier signings and timely roster turnover akin to the Tampa Bay Rays’ model. The episode also highlights Cleveland’s strategy for the new ABS challenge system, explaining why catchers like Austin Hedges and Bo Naylor—not pitchers—will lead ball-strike reviews, while hitters such as Steven Kwan and José Ramírez are set to have the green light. Will these tweaks give the Guardians an edge in the AL Central

Everydayer Club

If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans.

Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Gametime

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONMLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.

FanDuel

Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. The NBA and NFL seasons are here, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-guardians/

Locked On MLB League-Wide: Every Team, Prospects & More

🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/mlb/

#Guardians #ClevelandGuardians #MLB

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cleveland Guardians gamble on former White Sox top prospect Peyton Pallette in the Rule 5 Draft. Will he stick in their bullpen in 2026 and what is his potential impact? The free agent market is heating up while Cleveland waits to jump in. Is waiting too long to add a bat or make a big trade a risky strategy? Justin Lada and Jeff Ellis break down Pallette’s potential impact, discuss why the White Sox left him unprotected, and explore the Guardians’ Rule 5 strategy. We also debate where Pallette lands in the Guardians prospect rankings. The show tackles outfield trade rumors, free agent fits like Rob Refsnyder and Austin Hays, and speculate on the next moves as more names exit the board. Will the Guardians strike before it’s too late?

Everydayer Club

If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans.

Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Gametime

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONMLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.

FanDuel

Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. The NBA and NFL seasons are here, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-guardians/

Locked On MLB League-Wide: Every Team, Prospects & More

🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/mlb/

#Guardians #ClevelandGuardians #MLB

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.