The Guardians and catcher Austin Hedges have come to terms on a one-year deal for the 2026 season, according to a New York Post report. Teams are able to negotiate with their own free agents during the playoffs. Free agency for all others doesn’t start until after the World Series.
Hedges is one of three Guardians free agents this winter, along with outfielder Lane Thomas and reliever Jakob Junis.
The deal, which has yet to be confirmed by the club, is reportedly for $4 million with $500,000 in incentives. It’s similar to the separate one-year deals Hedges signed for 2024 and 2025, both of which were also for $4 million. Hedges hit just .161 at the plate in 2025, offering virtually no value offensively. But his defense remains strong enough that he still accrued 1.2 fWAR.
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