Terry Pluto: 'The two-year deal won’t be a long-term anchor on Cleveland’s payroll. If Bell hits 37 HR – as he did in 2019 – and leaves after the 2023 season... it’s still a terrific signing for the front office of Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff.'
The 30-year-old Bell can opt out after the 2023 season. Boras wants to set up Bell for a big pay day if the switch-hitter has a monster year in Cleveland.The two-year deal won’t be a long-term anchor on Cleveland’s payroll. If Bell hits 37 HR – as he did in 2019 – and leaves after the 2023 season ... it’s still a terrific signing for the front office of Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff. That means the Guardians will probably have another good season.Bell is 6-foot-4, 230 pounds with power.
Bell’s value dropped in 2022 because he had a strange season. He opened the year with Washington, battingThen he was traded to San Diego, where he fell apart: .192 with 3 HR and 14 RBI in 53 games. He was 9 for 36 for the Padres with a pair of homers in the playoffs. For a power hitter, Bell doesn’t strike out a lot – about 15% of the time. This is important to the new-look Guardians. They want power, but they don’t want guys fanning 150 times a year. In his last two seasons, Bell averaged 101 strikeouts and 73 walks.
The Guardians wanted more than a guy with some power. They wanted that player to be able to defend reasonably well at first base. Bell should be better than the Josh Naylor/Owen Miller combination with the glove. The addition of Bell will allow Cleveland to use Naylor more as a DH. Or they can rest Naylor vs. lefties.
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