Four Guardians Veterans Face Offseason Decisions as Cleveland Plans for 2027

Guardians catcher Austin Hedges walks across the infield at Progressive Field in Cleveland. — David Richard / Imagn Images (via Sports Illustrated)

Summary

MLB identifies Nathaniel Lowe, Rhys Hoskins, Austin Hedges and Foster Griffin as Guardians players set to hit free agency after the 2026 season.
Cleveland could consider reuniting with Lowe and Griffin, while MLB’s offseason analysis said Hoskins appears less likely to return.
Hedges has said he hopes to wear a Cleveland uniform again, but the club’s catching depth is part of its decision.
The players are pending free agents, not confirmed departures; the Guardians have not announced their offseason decisions.

Four roster questions come into focus

Cleveland’s 2026 season ended with a Game 6 loss to Tampa Bay in the American League Championship Series, shifting attention to the roster choices that will shape next year. MLB.com’s October 22 offseason analysis identified four Guardians veterans set to hit free agency: first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, first baseman Rhys Hoskins, catcher Austin Hedges and left-handed starter Foster Griffin. Their contracts are expiring, but none should be described as having left the team until an agreement or transaction is announced.^{[1] [2]}

The four cases cover three areas Cleveland must assess: first base, where two veterans could depart; catcher, where Hedges’ defense and clubhouse role compete with the organization’s depth; and the rotation, where Griffin was among the starters used in the postseason. MLB’s league-wide free-agent overview lists Hedges and the other pending players in the 2026–27 class, while the club’s transaction page continues to provide the official record of roster moves.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Lowe and Hoskins leave a first-base decision

MLB.com framed first base as a question of prospect Ralphy Velazquez’s readiness and whether Cleveland needs an established player to cover the position at the start of 2027. Lowe, acquired from Cincinnati at the trade deadline, is described as a possible reunion candidate. Hoskins, who also appears among the pending free agents, was assessed by MLB.com as less likely to return. Those are offseason possibilities, not announced negotiations or a final decision by the club.^{[1] [4]}

Cleveland has internal alternatives. MLB.com pointed to David Fry’s ability to play first base, the corner outfield and catcher, as well as Kyle Manzardo, whose opportunity was affected when Lowe joined the roster. The choice will depend on how the organization balances near-term major-league production with the timing of its young players; the club has not named a 2027 first baseman.^[1]

Hedges and Griffin fit separate continuity needs

Hedges’ future is a personnel decision as well as a catching-depth question. MLB.com reported that he expressed hope of wearing a Cleveland jersey again after the playoff elimination and described him as a valued leader and game-caller. The same analysis noted that Patrick Bailey remains under club control and prospects Cooper Ingle and Kody Huff are options in the organization. An independent report by Cleveland-focused SB Nation site Covering the Corner said president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti characterized Hedges as a possible departure while praising his season, underscoring that a reunion is unresolved.^{[1] [5]}

Griffin’s decision could affect the rotation. MLB.com listed him as one of only three Guardians starters to start in the postseason and raised a possible reunion as a question for the winter. Covering the Corner reported Antonetti said Griffin had made a major impact and that Cleveland would stay engaged with him as the offseason plan took shape. No renewed contract or departure has been announced.^{[1] [5]}

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