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Jose Ramirez is still weeks away from returning for the Cleveland Guardians.
The superstar third baseman is recovering from surgery to remove a fractured hook of the hamate bone in his left hand. TgQPHd||[]
Ramirez is one of Cleveland's top sluggers, but the lineup generally lacks power. Outfielder Angel Martinez leads the AL Central club with 11 home runs.
To solve this issue, Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer proposes the Guardians give the Los Angeles Angels a call about a former World Series MVP.
"It must be a year ending in a number, because the Guardians are short on power. They rank 29th in slugging percentage," Rymer wrote. "For a contender in that position, trading for [Jorge] Soler is one of the oldest tricks in the book at this point."
Soler, 34, has hit 10 home runs in his third season with the Angels, a club that would be smart to prioritize selling to stock the farm system.
We've seen before that Soler can help lead a club to a championship. He hit three homers with six RBIs in the 2021 World Series with the Atlanta Braves.
"Soler is in the last year of a three-year, $42 million contract, and what value he has is diminished by way of a 94 OPS+ since the start of last season," Rymer added.
"He therefore fits another Guardians prerequisite as a guy who can be had without sacrificing anything of note from the farm system."
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While Soler certainly won't be the top slugger available on the trade market, the Guardians will do their best not to trade highly touted prospects for rentals.
The 2023 All-Star can be acquired for a cheaper price tag. In a weak AL, maybe Soler can help the Guardians win their first title since 1948.
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