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11:50am: Along with that pair of accidents, beginning pitcher Gavin Williams will start the season on the injured record, tweets Mandy Bell of MLB.com. He’s been slowed by some discomfort in his proper elbow this spring. A latest MRI got here again clear, however he’ll go one other 4 days earlier than he resumes his throwing program and might want to construct again up from there. By that time, he’ll be about two weeks faraway from his final recreation motion.
If that’s not sufficient unhealthy information for Guards followers, Bell adds that lefty Sam Hentges is headed to have some swelling in his finger checked out. There’s no indication that’s a critical concern, however it’s one more well being scenario for the group (and followers) to watch for now.
11:08am: Guardians setup man Trevor Stephan shall be present process a UCL reconstruction process (i.e. Tommy John surgical procedure) inside the subsequent seven to 14 days, the group introduced. Cleveland had shut Stephan down for 3 weeks in late February, however the discomfort in his arm endured and subsequent testing has revealed that his ulnar collateral ligament is “not offering ample stability.”
There’s additional discouraging information on righty Daniel Espino — previously one of many prime prospects in all of baseball. The 23-year-old righty, who missed your complete 2023 season as a result of a capsule tear that required shoulder surgical procedure, underwent a second shoulder process yesterday — this one to restore new capsule injury in addition to his rotator cuff. He’s anticipated to overlook your complete 2024 season, although a precise timetable on his restoration isn’t but recognized, per the group.
The 28-year-old Stephan has confirmed to be among the finest Rule 5 choices by any group in latest reminiscence. Taken out of the Yankees group previous to the 2021 marketing campaign, he’s logged 63 or extra innings in every of his three seasons in Cleveland. Stephan owns six saves and 50 holds over that stretch, having climbed the ladder from low-leverage and mop-up settings to a outstanding late-inning piece in every of the Guards’ previous two seasons.
From 2022-23, Stephan tossed 132 1/3 innings of three.40 ERA ball with a stout 28% strikeout price and better-than common stroll and ground-ball charges of seven.8% and 44.6%, respectively. Fielding-independent metrics like FIP (2.90) and SIERA (3.18) really feel he’s been even higher than his already sharp earned run common.
Stephan signed a four-year, $10MM contract extension masking the 2023-26 seasons final spring. That deal contains membership choices for each the 2027 and 2028 seasons as nicely. He’ll be paid $1.6MM this yr as he rehabs all through what would in any other case have been his first arbitration season. He’s assured salaries of $2.3MM in 2025 and $3.5MM in 2026 earlier than the group should determine between a $7.25MM membership choice of $1.25MM buyout for the 2027 season. If Cleveland picks that choice up, they’ll have a $7.5MM choice for the 2028 marketing campaign as nicely. There’s no buyout on that second choice.
With Stephan now ticketed for the 60-day injured record, the Guardians will lean on commerce acquisition Scott Barlow as the first setup man to All-Star nearer Emmanuel Clase. Righties Eli Morgan and Nick Sandlin will even be within the combine for leverage spots, as will Hentges, assuming his finger harm doesn’t show to be one thing critical. It’s potential the Guardians might look exterior the group for some extra arms to hitch the fray, although that’d seemingly come through waivers or maybe a DFA commerce late in camp. The free agent marketplace for bullpen arms has been largely picked over, and Cleveland clearly didn’t have much money to spend this winter, making any extra wage unlikely to be added.
Extra to come back.
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