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Recent Guardians Rookie of the Year candidate released yet again in difficult blow

Related Topics: Oscar Mercado, Orlando Mercado

While the Cleveland Indians didn't reach the postseason in 2019, there were still plenty of highlights from their 93-win season. Shane Bieber becoming All-Star game MVP. José Ramírez going on an late-season tear. Carlos Santana mashing 34 home runs.

But, at the time, one of the highlights that seemed like it could impact the team in the long-term was the emergence of outfielder Oscar Mercado, who finished eighth in Rookie of the Year voting and looked like a long-term piece in Cleveland's outfield.

That didn't ended up being the case, as he was out of Cleveland 2 1/2 years later and is now a minor league free agent after opting out of his minor league contract with the Phillies, per a report from MLB Trade Rumors' Steve Adams.