CLEVELAND, Ohio — With awards season in the rearview mirror and free agency slowly beginning to churn, the Guardians face several key off-season dates between now and the season opener in late March.
Below are some of the benchmarks, including arbitration filing deadlines and the World Baseball Classic.
DECEMBER 4-7
Baseball’s annual Winter Meetings take place in-person for the first time since 2019. This year’s gathering will take place in San Diego.
DECEMBER 7
The Rule 5 Draft returns after a one-year hiatus. Traditionally the Rule 5 Draft has taken place on the final day of the Winter Meetings. Last year, it was canceled due to the lockout, marking the first time in 130 years that some form of the draft did not take place.
JANUARY 13
The filing deadline for teams and arbitration-eligible players to submit 2023 salary numbers. Arbitration hearings will begin to take place in March, although teams and players can agree to a salary at any point before a hearing takes place. Cleveland, in the past, has taken a “file and trial” approach, going to a hearing with players who don’t agree to a salary by January 13. The Guardians currently have seven arb-eligible players including Amed Rosario and Shane Bieber.
JANUARY 15
The international signing period begins and runs through Dec. 15, 2023. Because Major League Baseball and the MLBPA did not reach an agreement on the league’s desire to implement a draft for international prospects, the current international signing system and the qualifying-offer system both remain in place through the 2026 season.
JANUARY 21
Guards Fest 2023 is set for the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland. Players, alumni and coaches will be on hand for the first time since 2020 to meet with fans, give out autographs and interact in a grand gathering of all things Guardians. Find more details at cleguardians.com/guardsfest.
FEBRUARY 14
Happy Valentine’s Day! Pitchers and catchers are due to report to the Guardians’ Goodyear, Arizona training facility, with the full squad reporting on Feb. 19 and the first full-squad workout the following day.
Recommended Guardians stories
Cleveland Guardians announce return of winter fan festival: Guards Fest 2023 set for Jan. 21
Guardians looking for upgrades at catcher, DH, 1st base as winter meetings draw near: Podcast
So much to be thankful for concerning the Cleveland Guardians’ 2022 season
FEBRUARY 24
Spring Training games officially begin. Cleveland’s Cactus League opener is set for Feb. 25 at Goodyear Ballpark as the visiting team against Cincinnati.
MARCH 8
The World Baseball Classic begins, with games played in Taichung, Tokyo, Phoenix and Miami over the course of the 14-day, 20-team event. The WBC returns for the first time since 2017, as the 2021 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guardians players committed to playing for their home countries include Andrés Giménez (Venezuela), José Ramírez (Dominican Republic) and Emmanuel Clase (Dominican Republic). Ramírez could miss the tournament depending on how his rehab from offseason thumb surgery goes. Other Guardians players who could represent their countries include Cal Quantril and Josh Naylor of Canada.
MARCH 30
MLB Opening Day. Cleveland opens with a 10:10 pm matchup in Seattle against the Mariners.
BetMGM
STATES: OHIO
EARLY SIGN-UP BONUS
$200!
If you or a loved one has questions and needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or the National Council on Program Gambling Helpline (NCPG) at 1-800-522- 4700.