9 Guardians Who Won't Return in 2024
By Tyler Maher
8. Reynaldo Lopez
Lopez was a terrific pickup from the Angels last summer, logging 12 scoreless appearances with the Guardians after being claimed off waivers at the end of August. He tallied 12 strikeouts in 11 innings with Cleveland and did not allow a single run.
Unfortunately for the Guardians, Lopez is a free agent this winter. He'll probably be looking for a raise after earning $3.6 million last year and potentially wants a multi-year deal as well.
For a team like Cleveland with limited financial resources, paying for a non-closer on the open market and locking him into a multi-year deal wouldn't be the best use of its limited budget. Lopez is going to be 30 next season, too, making a commitment to him somewhat risky.
The Guardians are better off replacing Lopez with a cheaper internal option. Quality relief pitchers are a dime a dozen these days, so there's no need to spend millions on one in free agency.