Guardians predictions for 2026: Smith’s saves chase, Naylor’s power surge and DeLauter for ROTY?

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — With Opening Day approaching, here are a few bold, fearless, brazen predictions that only the most courageous followers of the Cleveland Guardians would dare try to speak into existence.

Chase DeLauter will become Cleveland’s first American League Rookie of the Year winner since Sandy Alomar Jr. in 1990

The Guardians deployed DeLauter for his major-league debut … in a playoff elimination game … when he hadn’t appeared in any game in three months … and at a position, center field, that he hadn’t occupied in a year. That says a lot about what the Guardians think of him. He can flat-out rake. He just needs to stay healthy, and that’s been the hard part. They’re rolling with him on Opening Day, though, and if they can keep him in one piece — he’ll shuttle between right field and designated hitter — they’re confident he’ll produce at the plate. If he were to win Rookie of the Year, the Guardians would receive an extra draft pick after the first round.

“He’s excited to be a big-leaguer,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “It’s been a journey for the organization to get him here and for him to work through a lot of adversity and trials to get here. There’s no expectations on him. It’s go play and be yourself. We’re excited to watch him for six months.”

In his first full season as the Guardians’ closer, Cade Smith will lead MLB in saves

Simple formula here: Smith is really good, and the Guardians should play a bunch of close games. In two seasons, Smith owns a 2.42 ERA and has piled up 207 strikeouts. He doesn’t issue many walks and rarely serves up home runs. He has every ingredient to be a dominant closer, and he got a trial run last summer when Emmanuel Clase’s extracurriculars came to light. Six Cleveland pitchers have recorded 40 or more saves in a season: Clase (2022, ’23, ’24), Jose Mesa (1995), Bob Wickman (2005), Joe Borowski (2007), Doug Jones (1990) and Mike Jackson (1998). Smith will be the seventh.

Bo Naylor will hit 25 home runs

Predicting Naylor to out-produce his brother seemed outlandish. Predicting 20 homers didn’t seem bold enough, given he hit 14 last season. So, let’s settle on 25 (while acknowledging that David Fry and even Austin Hedges will cut into his at-bat total). Only three catchers in franchise history have hit that many: Carlos Santana (27 in 2011), Victor Martinez (25 in 2007) and John Romano (25 in 1962), and Santana only started 88 games at catcher that season. Only seven catchers in team history have hit 20 homers, most recently Roberto Pérez in 2019, when baseballs were infused with nitrous oxide or something. Naylor made significant improvements to his walk and strikeout rates last season. That results in better pitches to hit. Now it’s time to inflict more damage on those.