The news of Andres Gimenez’s departure from the Cleveland Guardians has taken some time to resonate with fans and team members alike. The administration’s unexpected choice to barter him away to the Toronto Blue Jays undoubtedly marked one of the most surprising activities in the lead-up to the new season. Initial reactions were mixed; however, several industry observers have progressively warmed to the thought that in the grander scheme, this step may benefit the Guardians.
In retrospect, this development and the immediate subsequent trades executed by Cleveland appear shrewd. Through this act of swapping, the Guardians relieved themselves of the obligation to pay Andrés Giménez his contract of $96.5 million, a liability the Blue Jays took on. In return, Cleveland secured Luis Ortiz and two promising pitchers, a strategic action viewed by some as adept deal-making.
Contrastingly, it can’t be overlooked that the money saved from Giménez’s contract was not effectively reinvested by Cleveland. Despite the fact that Gimenez was a well-liked character amongst fans and had strong ties within the team, his future financial commitments could not avoid raising eyebrows. Acknowledged as a stellar fielder, Gimenez’s inconsistent offensive records over the past two seasons did raise some concerns about his influence on Cleveland’s already faltering lineup.
For the Cleveland Guardians, the pressing task now is to wisely use the money saved from Gimenez’s salary. Choices abound where to direct these resources. The team management has avenues to bring on board an influential free agent or work on a contract extension for established players, an example being Steven Kwan.