Tommy WildSun, November 30, 2025 at 2:10 AM UTC·2 min readThe Cleveland Guardians certainly need to add some arms to their bullpen this offseason. Cleveland had one of the best reliever cores last season, even after losing Emmanuel Clase, but relying on some of the same players over and over again isn’t a great recipe for success.
But who should the Guardians add?
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCleveland typically likes playing things safe, and if that’s the direction they do go in this offseason, there is one familiar face on the open market who spent almost his entire season with the Guardians organization and could be an intriguing option for Cleveland to bring back: Eli Morgan.
The Guardians traded Morgan to the Chicago Cubs last offseason for prospect Alfonsin Rosario.
Unfortunately for Morgan and the Cubs, the right-hander suffered an elbow injury in April and never returned to the big leagues after a setback in his rehab. Because of the disappointing season and the need for more roster space, Chicago non-tendered Morgan, making him an unrestricted free agent.
A reunion with Morgan could be an interesting option for the Guardians as they look for more bullpen depth. The right-hander is still 29 years old, and there isn’t an organization that knows him better than the Guardians.
Oct 12, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Eli Morgan (49) pitches in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers during game five of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesIn Morgan's last full season in the majors, in 2024, he posted a 1.93 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP across 32 appearances. He even came up with some big outings for the Guardians during their ALCS run that season as well.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMorgan could also help Cleveland solve one of its biggest bullpen issues: more punchout pitchers. Since the righty became a full-time reliever in 2022, he has a strikeout rate of 25.1 percent and a chase rate of about 33.7 percent. (These numbers exclude the seven games Morgan pitched in during the 2025 season.)
There’s no guarantee Morgan returns to that pitcher next year. Perhaps Cleveland could go in the direction of a minor league deal and invite Morgan to spring training for Morgan. That would give the Guardians an opportunity to ensure he is healthy while also keeping him as a depth option later in the season.
Trying to bring back Morgan is a low-risk option for Cleveland with some nice potential to address the Guardians’ bullpen's biggest needs.
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