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2026 Cleveland Guardians Predictions with Odds to Win World Series and Futures Picks

by Ryan Cobbett - 3/4/2026

Cleveland Guardians predictions Jose Ramirez

After winning the AL Central Division last season, this season is filled with questions for the Cleveland Guardians. Cleveland is no longer considered a powerhouse in the AL Central thanks to the emergence of Detroit and Kansas City. Help is on the way for the Guardians with the expected impact of Chase DeLauter, if he can stay healthy. Travis Bazzana is also a variable capable of swinging the momentum for the campaign ahead. The outfield is much weaker and has a lot of question marks around Steven Kwan, while the bullpen will now have to appoint a new closer to replace their previous anchor. There are a lot of storylines as we anticipate the 2026 season.

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Summary of Last Season

Last season, the Guardians finished with an 88-74 record and clinched the division crown. The Guardians season would end at the hands of their division rivals, the Tigers, as Detroit knocked them out of the playoffs in the first round. The Guardians managed to clinch the division despite having a -6-run differential on the season. They were 12-6 in one run games which helped push them to the playoffs as their expected record was 80-82.

The lineup was terrible last season. They finished 28th in runs scored, ahead of just Pittsburgh and Colorado. The Guardians finished 20th in homeruns, 29th in OPS, 20th in walks, and 11th in stolen bases. Jose Ramirez led the team in WAR with a 5.8 mark after hitting .283 on the season and collecting 30 homeruns, 44 stolen bases, 85 RBIs, and he recorded a .863 OPS. He was one of just two players to record more than 20 homeruns and was one of just two players, for Cleveland, to steal more than 20 bases. Kyle Manzardo finished right behind Ramirez with 27 homeruns, while also finishing second in RBIs with 70. Kwan finished second on the team with 21 stolen bases and a 3.7 WAR. Ramirez and Kwan were the only two Guardians players to appear in at least 140 games last season.

The pitching staff was what kept the team relevant last season. They ranked fourth in ERA, 15th in WHIP, sixth in homeruns allowed, and fourth in shutouts. The team had four starters stay relatively healthy as they all recorded at least 132 innings pitched last season. Tanner Bibee led the way with 182.1 innings, though he managed a 1.1 WAR thanks to a lowly 4.24 ERA and a 12-11 record. Gavin Williams had the best numbers last season as he led the pitching staff with a 3.8 WAR thanks to 14 quality starts, a 12-5 record, a 3.06 ERA, and a team best 173 strikeouts. Cade Smith may have been the team’s MVP out of the bullpen. He was suddenly inserted into the closing role after the dismissal of Emmanuel Clase. Smith recorded 73.2 innings out of the bullpen, finishing the season with a 2.93 ERA, 16 saves, 19 holds, and a 12.7 K/9 ratio.

Key Additions/Losses

The team in large part stayed together over the offseason. The obvious dismissals of Clase and Luis Ortiz hurt the pitching staff. The team non-tendered Sam Hentges and Nic Enright, while fellow reliever Matt Krook also became a free agent. The team also non-tendered outfielder Will Brennan. Jhonkensy Noel was claimed off waives by the Baltimore Orioles marking the only other significant loss from last year’s team.

As for the additions, the team addressed the holes in the bullpen the best they could. They added relivers Connor Brogdon, Peyton Pallette, Colin Holderman, Shawn Armstrong, Codi Heuer, and Pedro Avila. They also signed outfielder Stuart Fairchild, infielder Carter Kieboom, and utility man Rhys Hoskins.

Prospect Outlook

Despite the uncertain state of the MLB club, there is certainly help on the way. Cleveland has established a strong pipeline of prospects. Their farm system currently ranks second in the MLB. Bazzana is the highest rated prospect, ranking 20th in the MLB Top 100 Prospects list. He is an eventual cornerstone for the Cleveland infield, while fellow prospect DeLauter (46th) is soon to join Kwan in the outfield with that plus bat and cannon of an arm. Shortstop Angel Genao ranks 66th, and he is followed by first baseman/outfielder Ralphy Velazquez (89th), left-handed pitcher Parker Messick (95th), and catcher Cooper Ingle (99th).

X-Factors

The Front Office- With one of the strongest farm systems in the league, the Guardians have plenty of resources to load up on some top talent available via the trade market. The prospects are of plenty for Cleveland, while the major league roster has holes all over the place. While Bazzana and DeLauter may contribute to filling some of those holes in the lineup, the other four Top 100 Prospects are likely further away from a strong impact this season, which could make them available. The front office needs to be creative, but they have the pool of prospects to piece together a nice offer for some elite level talent.

The Bullpen- The Guardians obviously have a gaping hole to fill in the closer role. They lost perhaps the league’s best closer in a blink of an eye. Someone will have to step up. Smith did well in the role, and perhaps with his high strikeout stuff, he may mirror the former closer. However, he has yet to have the chance to prove he can perform in the role year in and year out. Any dip in his performance could be troubling for the once strong pitching staff.

2026 Cleveland Guardians Notable Odds:

Win Total: 78.5

World Series Champions- +6000

Pennant Winners- +2500

Division Winners- +410

AL MVP- Jose Ramirez +1600

AL Cy Young- Tanner Bibee +7000

AL Rookie of the Year- Chase DeLauter +2200

2026 Cleveland Guardians Predictions:

The Guardians are in trouble this season. They are likely to regress and fall below .500. However, .500 may be exactly where they end up. This is one of the few win totals I am staying away from this season. If the front office buys in, then the over becomes an easy decision, but they could also become sellers if the team starts slowly. At +1600, Jose Ramirez is a solid value pick to bring home the AL MVP as he is a consistent 30/30 guys with 40/40 potential. Aside from that, there is not much to like around the Guardians heading into the 2026 season.

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