CLEVELAND, Ohio — It’s no secret the Guardians need offense. They hit .226 as a team last season, while scoring the third fewest runs among MLB’s 30 teams.

So why hasn’t the front office added a hitter or two?

The reason is clear, and it’s a gamble.

The Guardians have spent years investing in the acquisition and development of a group of position players they believe can hit in the big leagues. They saw flashes of it last season when the Guardians went 20-7 in September to win the AL Central on the last day of the regular season, completing a historic comeback that saw them overcome a 15 1/2 game deficit in July.

They did it by hitting .242 as a team and scoring the third most runs in the American League in September. Can they show that kind of offense over a six-month season?

The talent pool the Guardians will be counting on runs 18 players deep. The two exceptions are Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan. They have already established themselves as big-league hitters and are not included in this story.

That means there are 18 players for 11 openings to complete the 13-man position player side of Cleveland’s 26-man roster.

The candidates are ranked 18 through 1 with No. 1 potentially having the biggest impact on the Guardians’ 2026 season.

18. Angel Genoa: Switch-hitting infielder who hurt his right shoulder in spring training. Bounced back to reach Double-A. Is hitting .325 (27 for 83) in winter ball in the Dominican Republic.

17. 2B Travis Bazzana: Not sure when the No. 1 overall pick in 2024 will make his big-league debut, but it should be in 2026. He needs to stay healthy and get settled at Triple-A after playing in the World Baseball Classic in March. Bazzana is the only candidate not on the 40-man roster.

16. OF Petey Halpin: A center fielder who can run. Made his big-league debut late last season. He hit 29 doubles, four triples and 14 homers at Triple-A Columbus last year.

15. OF Kahlil Watson: Guardians really liked what he did last season when he moved to the outfield. Hit .250 (92 for 368) with 16 homers, 61 RBI, 17 steals and a .813 OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) for Double-Akron and Triple-A Columbus.

14. UT Juan Brito: Switch-hitter with power. Injuries ruined last season for him. Guardians were granted a fourth option on him.

13. OF George Valera: Made his big-league debut last year and played in the wild card series. He can control an at-bat with a smooth left-handed swing. His injury history is a concern.

12. OF Johnathan Rodriguez: He has power from the right side, but it has yet to show itself consistently in the big leagues. Guardians keep giving him chances.

11. OF Jhonkensy Noel: He’s another big right-handed hitter. Pitchers have muted his power since his debut in 2024. He’s out of options.

10. OF Nolan Jones: The Guardians signed Jones to a one-year $2 million deal for 2026 despite him hitting .211 (74 for 355) with 113 strikeouts last season. They believe he can still be the player who hit .297 (109 for 367) with 20 homers and a .931 OPS for the Rockies in 2023. He’s out of options.

9. UT David Fry: If Fry is healthy, his return will help several positions because he bats right-handed and he’s versatile.

8. 1B-RF C.J. Kayfus: He made his big-league debut last season after starting the year at Double-A. Kayfus hit .286 (14 for 49) with 11 RBI and a .888 OPS in September to help the Guardians win the AL Central.

7. OF Chase DeLauter: Like Valera, DeLauter’s path to the big leagues has been slowed by injury. But if the Guardians let him make his big-league debut in the postseason against Detroit, they have to be intent on giving him a long look this spring. All he has to do is stay healthy.

6. OF Angel Martinez: The switch-hitter can play second base, but the Guardians see him mostly as a center fielder. He hit .279 against lefties last season, but slumped in the second half. He has one option left.

5. UT Daniel Schneemann: He’s turned himself into a valuable part of the roster with his ability to play all over the diamond. His offense fell off dramatically in second half. Schneemann was the best version of himself at second base where he hit .253 with nine of his 12 homers. The 12 homers ranked fourth on the team.

4. SS Gabriel Arias: The right-handed hitting Arias had his good moments last year, but he still led the team with 162 strikeouts. He’s solid defensively with a great arm. He’s also out of options.

3. 2B Brayan Rocchio: He made the move to second base without trouble last season. After he settled in at second, he hit .261 (63 for 241) with 21 extra base hits and 36 RBI over his last 74 games of the regular season. He’s out of options.

2. C Bo Naylor: It’s still unclear what kind of hitter Naylor will be, but in September, he hit .290 (18 for 62) with seven doubles, three homers and 16 RBI. He hit only .191 (70 for 359) for the season, but his 14 homers were third on the team.

1. 1B-DH Kyle Manzardo: He finished second on the team with 27 homers and 70 RBI in just his first full season in the big leagues. If the Guardians don’t add another everyday hitter, it’s going to be his job to protect Ramirez in the middle of the lineup. The Guardians asked him to get stronger over the winter so he can handle more work at first base.

Paul Hoynes, born in Cleveland, has been the beat writer for the Indians/Guardians since 1983. He attended Cathedral Latin High School in Cleveland and received a journalism degree from Marquette University. He…