Five Best Trade Fits for Guardians Outfielder Lane Thomas

It wasn’t all too long ago that Lane Thomas found himself as part of a trade, when the Washington Nationals dealt him to the Cleveland Guardians ahead of the 2024 trade deadline last July.

Now just months later, Thomas finds himself on the trade block again. The Guardians are reportedly exploring the idea of shopping some of their veteran talent this winter, according to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal.

The 29-year-old is coming off a down year in comparison to his breakout campaign in 2023. In 528 plate appearances in 2024, Thomas hit .237 with 15 HR and 63 RBI and posted a .709 OPS and a 99 wRC+.

That being said, despite his disappointing 2024 season, he’s still only a year removed from a 3.2 fWAR season in 2023 where he slashed .268/.315/.468 with 28 HR, 86 RBI and a 110 wRC+.

And this past season did bear some positives for Thomas, including the prowess he showed on the basepaths. He topped his 20 SB season in 2023 by swiping 32 bags in 2024.

And despite a poor showing defensively in 2024, Thomas still showed off a strong arm in the outfield with seven outfield assists while ranking in the 95th percentile in arm strength and the 82nd percentile in arm value, according to Baseball Savant.

With one year of remaining control over Thomas before he is set to hit the free agent market, the Guardians could look to get a quick return on their investment by dealing him to a team in need of a value add in the outfield.

The trade market is heating up, with some major deals having already occurred this offseason, including one in which fellow outfielder Kyle Tucker was dealt from the Astros to the Cubs on Friday afternoon.

So, with all that in mind, here are some of the teams that could look to acquire Thomas ahead of the 2025 season.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds are known to have expressed interest in Thomas already, as Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that they’ve looked into Thomas and some of Cleveland’s other available veterans this winter.

This fit would make a lot of sense for the Reds, who are in desperate need of upgrading their outfield after their current outfield options ranked 28th in the league in AVG, 24th in OPS and tied for 25th in wRC+ in 2024.

Five Reds outfielders registered more than 200 plate appearances in 2024: Spencer Steer, Will Benson, Jake Fraley, TJ Friedl and Stuart Fairchild.

Thomas’ 99 wRC+ was higher than that of all five of those Reds outfielders. His .709 OPS was higher than Freidl’s, Benson’s and Fairchild’s and only 12 points off of Steer’s and seven off of Fraley’s. His 15 HR cleared all but Steer (who hit 20).

Moreover, the Reds’ offensive needs are larger than just the outfield, as they ranked 26th in wRC+ and 21st in OPS as an entire team in 2024.

Thomas, who has 20+ HR upside, would have the opportunity to put his offensive capabilities to full use in the hitter-friendly confines of Great American Ball Park, making him a prime candidate for a rebound season if this deal were to come to fruition.

And imagine how much more lethal this team could look on the basepaths by adding a 30+ base-stealer like Thomas to join the likes of Elly De La Cruz and a lineup with the third-highest stolen base total in 2024.

Atlanta Braves

Thomas isn’t the left-handed outfield option that GM and president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos reportedly desires (per Ken Rosenthal).

However, as it stands right now, the more important thing for the Braves should be to find any upgrade over Jarred Kelenic in left, as well as a better right field replacement for their recovering superstar, Ronald Acuña Jr., should he not be ready for defensive duties by Opening Day.

Thomas has the capabilities to fill either of those roles as a clear upgrade, especially if he can undergo something of a bounce-back in 2025.

Kelenic only mustered a .679 OPS and 86 wRC+ in 2024, and Atlanta’s current bench options, Eli White and Luke Williams, have had very little major league run in the past two seasons. Even another down year from Thomas in 2025 would constitute a better option for Atlanta.

His 32 stolen bags from 2024 would also provide a practical solution to make up for the inevitable drop in steals that Acuña will have upon his return as he continues to rehab a torn ACL.

The Braves were one of the unluckiest teams when it came to keeping guys on the field in 2024, so Thomas’ three consecutive years of 500+ plate appearances should also come as a sight for sore eyes, and will only look better if he can reclaim some of that offensive upside. And if any team has shown an ability to get the best out of its players in recent years, it’s the Braves.

Kansas City Royals

The Royals are reportedly looking to the trade market for a middle-of-the-order bat, according to a report from The Athletic earlier this month.

If that’s the case, Thomas could make a lot of sense in hitting behind Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez.

The Royals’ lack of offensive abilities outside of their top three in 2024 was well documented, as their outfield group sat tied for 28th in the league in wRC+ and 27th in OPS.

The outfield was led by MJ Melendez, Hunter Renfroe and Kyle Isbel last season, all of whom posted an AVG under .230, OPS totals below .700 and wRC+ totals under 95.

Even in his down year last season, Thomas would have been an upgrade over every one of them, while also further strengthening Kansas City’s identity as a strong baserunning team (11th in SB and seventh in BSR in 2024).

This may be an intra-division trade, but with just one year remaining on Thomas’ contract, it’s not as if the Guardians would be forced to square off against him regularly for years to come. And for Kansas City, that means his price tag will be lower. That would definitely be comforting for the Royals, since whatever prospect capital they might give up will be in Cleveland’s system for years to come.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Then there’s the Pirates, whose window of contention seems to be as open as it’s been in some time due to their young, electrifying starting rotation led by NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes.

Now it becomes a matter of ensuring the rest of their active roster can live up to the immense hype the rotation has set, and the offense could do with some reassurance.

The Pirates bats ranked tied for 27th in baseball in wRC+ and 27th in OPS in 2024, with their outfielders being a big contributor to those low rankings; their outfield sat last in wRC+ and 29th in OPS.

Bryan Reynolds remained a solid bat with a .791 OPS and 118 wRC+. What’s more, Oneil Cruz manning center for a full season in 2025, after posting a .773 OPS and 110 wRC+ in 2024, should help shore up Pittsburgh’s outfield offense. Still, the Pirates must answer the question of who they will deploy in right field.

Thomas would undoubtedly be a better option than anyone the Pirates threw out there this past year and would constitute a value acquisition for a small market team looking to make a push toward postseason contention now while the Skenes era is still alive and well in the Steel City.

New York Yankees

To round things off, we head to the Bronx, where it’s no secret that the Yankees will be in the market for an outfielder after Juan Soto signed the most lucrative deal in MLB history with their in-state rivals, the Mets.

Many have linked the Yankees to the big-name free agent outfielders, Teoscar Hernández and Anthony Santander, this winter. Yet, both seem to have numerous suitors beyond New York vying for their signatures, giving the Yankees far less control in this route as opposed to a potential trade.

If Thomas can find some of his 2023 form next season, he could provide that middle-of-the-order support for Aaron Judge, with his 20+ homer, .250 AVG and .750 OPS potential to place alongside Jazz Chisholm Jr., Giancarlo Stanton and Austin Wells.

His versatility to play across the outfield would also provide the Yankees with a way to move Judge back to right field in 2025, while also allowing manager Aaron Boone to exercise patience in acclimating top prospect Jasson Domínguez to the starting center field role.

Thomas’ abilities on the basepaths would also be of extreme value to a Yankees team that ranked 24th in MLB in stolen bases and last in BSR in 2024.

It may not be the glamourous move that Yankees fans are hoping for to bolster both the outfield and the lineup in general, but Thomas would certainly be an upgrade over their primary left field option from 2024, Alex Verdugo.