With the July 31 trade deadline approaching, the Cleveland Guardians find themselves at a critical juncture. Sitting 8½ games behind Detroit in the AL Central and tied with Seattle for the final American League wild card spot, Cleveland has an opportunity to make a significant push to get back to the playoffs. The Guardians’ traditional approach of “threading the needle” at the trade deadline – making moves that help the current roster while preserving future assets – needs to be set aside this season.