The American League Central-leading Cleveland Guardians made two primary moves before the 2024 MLB trade deadline. Cleveland acquired outfielder Lane Thomas from the Washington Nationals on Monday in a move to bolster their outfield. The Guardians then acquired starting pitcher Alex Cobb from the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. So how did the ball club fare overall at this year's trade deadline?
Thomas and Cobb are not superstars. Yet, both players are reliable presences for any team. Let's take a look at their potential fits with the Guardians and then grade Cleveland's overall 2024 MLB trade deadline.
Lane Thomas joins Guardians
Thomas, 28, made his MLB debut in 2019 with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Nationals acquired Thomas during the 2021 season. Thomas found his footing in Washington, taking a step forward in 2022 and 2023. His '22 campaign was respectable but Thomas finished the 2023 season with 28 home runs and 20 stolen bases to go along with a .783 OPS.
Thomas has hit eight home runs so far in 2024. He's already set a new career-high in stolen bases with 28. Thomas is a quality corner outfield option who features 30-30 potential. He projects to be a tremendous fit for the Guardians.
Cleveland's lineup has performed much better in 2024 as compared to 2023. With that being said, the outfield still needed a boost (aside from Steven Kwan amid his MVP-caliber season).
Thomas hit second and played right field on Tuesday during his Guardians debut. The Guardians defeated the Detroit Tigers 5-0 and Thomas went 1-4 at the plate with a run scored. It appears that he is already fitting in with his new ball club.
Cleveland acquires veteran starter
Cobb has yet to pitch in 2024 due to an injury. The 36-year-old earned an All-Star selection in 2023, however. Cobb is expected to return from his injury soon.
He is a steady veteran starting pitcher. Cobb is going to pitch to an ERA in the high 3's (his career ERA sits at 3.85) while giving a team a respectable amount of innings. He isn't flashy on the mound but Cobb understands what it takes to win at the big league level.
The Guardians starting rotation has been unreliable. Pitchers such as Tanner Bibee and Ben Lively have performed well, but Cleveland still needed at least one more arm. The Guardians probably could have used another pitcher in addition to Cobb, but standing pat would have been a disaster.
Will Cobb immediately turn the Guardians into World Series favorites? No, but he is a pitcher who is capable of making a difference in the postseason.
Guardians' final trade deadline grade
The Guardians' trade deadline was fairly underwhelming. Again, Thomas and Cobb are quality big league players. Cleveland features a strong farm system and they likely could have added at least one or two more notable players.
Nevertheless, the Guardians improved and that's all you can ask for while making trades. Cleveland has to consider the postseason, and having a reliable right-handed hitting outfielder and steady veteran pitcher joining the team will help matters in the long run.
Guardians final trade deadline grade: B-
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