The Cleveland Guardians find themselves in a familiar and somewhat frustrating position as the 2025 MLB trade deadline approaches. Their direction remains ambiguous—no one can say for sure whether they intend to buy, sell, or simply hold steady. What complicates matters is that the Guardians currently sit right in the thick of the American League Wild Card chase, yet their recent performance hardly inspires confidence. Over the past few weeks, they’ve gone just 8-14, sliding further behind in the AL Central standings and now trailing the first-place Detroit Tigers by nine and a half games.
Historically, the Guardians have not been known for bold midseason moves. In fact, the franchise has developed a reputation for being cautious—if not outright conservative—at the trade deadline. Rather than making big acquisitions, Cleveland has often opted to shed salary, particularly when it involves players on the verge of becoming too expensive. This trend has created skepticism about whether the club will make meaningful additions before the July 31 deadline.
Still, some analysts believe the Guardians could look to add talent, particularly on the offensive side. Nicholas Karavolos of Covering the Corner recently argued that Cleveland should target a proven bat to bolster their underperforming lineup. While many would agree with that general idea, Karavolos raised eyebrows by suggesting Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story as a potential trade target.
Story’s potential fit in Cleveland is questionable at best. Offensively, he has been a shadow of his former self in recent seasons, largely due to injuries. This year, he has managed a .638 OPS—a figure that actually represents his best performance since 2022, when he posted a .737 OPS. While Story has managed to stay healthy so far in 2025, his recent track record raises serious concerns. Between 2022 and 2024, he played just 94, 43, and 26 games, respectively.
Then there’s the issue of Story’s contract. He is currently earning $22.5 million for the 2025 season and holds a player option worth $25 million for 2026. If he exercises that option, he’s also guaranteed another $25 million in 2027, with a club option for the same amount in 2028. That’s a significant financial commitment—especially for a player whose offensive production has dipped.
This makes the idea of Cleveland pursuing Story appear even more unlikely. After all, the team traded Josh Naylor during the offseason primarily due to financial reasons. Naylor is arguably a better hitter than Story and is expected to earn less in free agency next year. It would be counterintuitive for the Guardians to offload Naylor only to take on a more expensive, less productive player in return.
While it’s possible that the Red Sox might agree to absorb part of Story’s salary to facilitate a deal, the overall fit still doesn’t align with Cleveland’s usual trade strategy. For a club that typically avoids taking on large contracts and rarely gambles on injury-prone veterans, acquiring Trevor Story would seem wildly out of character—even in a year where offensive help is badly needed.
