The Cleveland Guardians are in the middle of a tight playoff series with the Tampa Bay Rays, with Cleveland holding a 2-1 series lead.
The American League Championship Series features the top two seeded teams in the AL, and through the first three games, it hasn’t disappointed. Cleveland has a chance to clinch the series at home if they can take the next two games, but it will be a challenge for this group.
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The Guardians have been led by strong starting pitching and an electric bullpen, while getting timely hitting from the lineup. But as the players are looking toward finishing the playoffs on a high note, the front office may be looking toward the upcoming offseason as well.
One name that will certainly be discussed is starting pitcher Foster Griffin, whom the Guardians traded for at the deadline this year. Griffin was excellent with the Washington Nationals before coming to the Guardians, sporting a 3.06 ERA over 22 starts.
His performance allowed him to e named to the All-Star team, showing real consistency on the mound. But after being traded, Griffin saw his ERA balloon, going to 5.19 over nine starts with Cleveland.
The left-hander couldn’t find any rhythm with the Guardians, and the trade looks like it wasn’t a strong one for Cleveland. Griffin will be entering free agency this coming winter, but his performance may cost him on the market.
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Due to his poor tenure with the Guardians, Foster has been named a “buyer beware” target for the offseason. MLB analyst Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report listed Foster among a group of players that should have teams wondering about them entering free agency.
One area of hope for Griffin is that even with him struggling, he didn’t allow home runs. Over his last six starts of the season, Griffin didn’t allow a single home run, which could bode well for the future.
In the playoffs, Griffin has pitched in two games, posting a 4.05 ERA for Cleveland. The left-hander started Game 1 against the Rays, allowing two runs on five hits over four innings.
The Guardians will have to decide if they want to bring the left-hander back for next season, but given how he has performed, it could be tough to see. However, if Cleveland were to win the World Series, they may elect to sign Griffin back as a depth piece in the rotation, hoping he can get back to being the All-Star that they thought they were trading for.
Overall, Griffin’s market may be lower due to his struggles, which could help the Guardians get him on a team-friendly deal.