Tito's tip to Guardians in Classic: 'Take a second and take this in'

By Mandy Bell

March 8, 2023 5:19 PM CST

GOODYEAR, Ariz. --
The Guardians entered Wednesday’s 6-0 victory over Team Mexico at Goodyear Ballpark with a few familiar faces missing from their roster.

Cleveland sent a handful of players off to their respective teams for the World Baseball Classic, including Cal Quantrill (Canada), Bo Naylor (Canada) and Andrés Giménez (Venezuela). Giménez will compete in Miami, as Venezuela is grouped to play against Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Israel and Nicaragua on the East Coast during pool play. But Quantrill and Naylor will be just down the road in Phoenix.

The decision for Naylor to join Team Canada wasn’t the easiest. He knows that he’s trying to prove he belongs on Cleveland’s roster sooner rather than later. Missing some time during Spring Training probably wouldn’t help his cause if Opening Day was his goal. However, realistically, the Guardians have been hinting at the fact that Naylor should begin the season with Triple-A Columbus since before the World Baseball Classic rosters were revealed. As long as he stays healthy during this time, it shouldn’t alter his future with the club, which Guardians manager Terry Francona tried to reiterate before he left camp.

“We told him to enjoy himself, first of all, because it’s a huge honor,” Francona said. “And we just made him promise that he’d come back in one piece. We just told him to communicate with us if anything’s going on, and he promised to do that.”

Unless Mike Zunino sustains an injury before Opening Day, it seems all but certain that Naylor will join Columbus to start the year. As of now, Cam Gallagher appears to be the top candidate to win the backup catching role. If this would be the case regardless of Naylor's participation in the World Baseball Classic, there’s no reason he shouldn’t enjoy this honor.

Unlike Naylor, Quantrill’s role with the Guardians is already established. If he and Triston McKenzie perform like they did last season, that pair could team up and make a scary trio with Shane Bieber at the top of Cleveland’s rotation. But even though he’s a lock on this roster, Quantrill was still trying to find ways to continue popping into Guardians camp while he balances his Team Canada schedule. Francona insisted that he enjoys this moment.

“I said, ‘Hey man, you’re going to this thing, your dad is a part of the coaching staff, take a minute and enjoy it,’” Francona said. “I know he’s gonna get his work done, but take a second and take this in because this doesn’t happen very often.”

Roster moves approaching

Everyone in Cleveland’s rotation prepares for the season differently. Most went two innings in their first Cactus League outings, while Aaron Civale went just one. But guys like Bieber have already thrown three innings in a start (and could’ve gone four last time out, considering he was so efficient), which leaves only a few innings to fill for the rest of the hurlers who need to get their reps in. Because of that, the Guardians are nearing the time that younger pitchers or guys who won’t make the Opening Day roster will be sent to Minor League camp.

“This is where [pitching coach] Carl [Willis] really has to start working at [balancing everyone’s work],” Francona said. “That’s why, at some point, you’ll see roster moves because we can’t stretch out all the people we need to. It’s not fair to them.”

De Los Santos and Sandlin make spring debuts

Nick Sandlin and Enyel De Los Santos were the last two of Cleveland’s regulars to get action out of the bullpen this spring. During the postseason last year, Sandlin was sidelined with a right shoulder strain and the team was careful with his progression this spring, making sure not to rush him into game activity. De Los Santos tweaked his left hamstring just before camp got underway and needed a little extra time before getting thrown into the mix.

Both were able to make their spring debuts in Wednesday’s win. Sandlin gave up two hits, one walk and struck one batter out in his inning of work, while De Los Santos permitted just one hit in his frame.

“Nick, I thought he yanked a couple fastballs,” Francona said. “He’s gonna be a guy where repetition will really help him. I thought the ball came out of De Los [Santos’ hand] really well. So it was a good day, and we can get those guys pitching.”

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ANALYSIS & EDITORIALS

Potential contract extensions for the Guardians

Will Guardians fans see any late spring training extensions this year?

By Quincy Wheeler Mar 10, 2023, 1:54pm EST

After last season’s contract extensions for Emmanuel Clase, Myles Straw, and José Ramírez shortly before the season, time is ticking for the Guardians front office to lock down some of their young talent before the season starts again. Will we see any extensions this spring?

Let’s take a look at some of the potential candidates on the team.

That ship has sailed

Amed Rosario, 27, free agent after 2023 season (represented by Octagon)

I cannot see a scenario, given the length and size of contracts given out to shortstops in free agency this offseason, where Amed Rosario signs an extension to stay in Cleveland. I know José Ramírez and Terry Francona love him, but it doesn’t make sense for a team that has been drafting and developing young and talented shortstops for the past six years to commit $15-20 million a year, at least, to a player who is 27 years old.

It doesn’t make sense for Amed Rosario not to try the market where, as the best shortstop entering free agency, he can try for a deal north of $20 million in average annual value that would take him well into his mid-30s.

Shane Bieber, 27, free agent after 2024 season (represented by Rosenhaus Sports)

In a just world, Cleveland would offer Shane Bieber a 7-9-year, $180-$200 million contract ... and Bieber would accept because he recognizes that climate patterns are going to make his hometown on the West Coast less temperate than sunny Northeast Ohio. Cleveland’s new owners would then commit to spending at least $120 million on team payroll per year.

There’s snow in the 10-day forecast in March in Ohio in case you haven’t noticed, so we clearly don’t live in a perfect world. As long as the Guardians are hanging at or below $100 million in payroll, I don’t see them handing out contracts that long and that expensive to volatile assets like pitchers.

I also don’t see why Bieber, given that Yu Darvish just got a 6-year, $108 million contract at the age of 36, would not just hold out to test his value on the open market. Personally, Bieber convinced me in 2023 by remaining a top 10 pitcher in MLB with diminished velocity that he is the kind of pitcher a team should gamble on providing great value into their late thirties, but I also acknowledge that this year will likely be peak Shane Bieber, if we haven’t already seen it.

Bieber isn’t signing an extension here ... unless Santa Blitzer comes through with a really early gift — maybe on March 25!

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!!!

Bo Naylor, 23, free agent after 2029 season (represented by ISE)

The Guardians may be well-served to take an example from the playbook of teams like the Braves and Rays and lock up a young superstar before he even takes the stage. I don’t know how the Guardians view Bo Naylor, internally, but if they believe in his future as a starting catcher on a playoff team, offering him a deal that pays him through his arbitration years and tacks on 2-3 more could be an inventive way to keep a 20-20 catcher in Cleveland past the date they would usually have to consider trading him.

Unlikely ... but interesting

Josh Naylor, 25, free agent after 2025 season (represented by ISE)

If Josh Naylor hadn’t suffered that severe ankle injury in 2021, he would be at the top of my list for an extension. There is so much to like in his passion and personality, as well as a 121 wRC+ last year and an aptitude for big moments that has been visible from the moment he set foot in Cleveland’s clubhouse.

Naylor is not perfect, of course — his defense is limited, to say the least, and he has not hit left-handed pitching at all as a major leaguer (though he was decent against lefties in the minors). But, that’s precisely why a modest extension with Cleveland would see possible ... the Guardians could buy out Naylor’s arbitration years and tack on three years to get him into his thirties. But I doubt that they will offer this kind of deal until he has at least another year to show that the ankle is trustworthy, and who knows if even that would be enough to give them enough certainty to make a long-term commitment to a player who represents a significant risk of tying up their DH position if something goes even a little awry.

Aaron Civale, 27, free agent after 2025 season (represented by Jack Toffey)

Again, it is primarily injuries that make me skeptical that the Guardians would pursue an extension with Aaron Civale. His strikeout numbers climbed and walk numbers lowered last year. He exhibits an excellent work ethic and throws a bazillion pitches (give or take).

All of this seems like the kind of pitcher the Guardians could, theoretically, look at taking into his early thirties as they did with Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco (yes, I know both were much better pitchers than Civale when they were extended — this would be a younger pitcher for a cheaper price). If the Guardians believe in the player they have developed in Civale, an extension would be a reward for a player who has bought into their gameplan, setting a great precedent for future pitchers working their way through the farm system: If you do the work, you will reap the reward.

Alas, Civale’s frequent injuries as a starter over the past couple of years make this extension a virtual non-starter.

I’m listening

Triston McKenzie, 25, free agent after 2026 season (represented by Octagon)

As I think about the potential of a possible extension, I am intrigued by the idea of offering Triston McKenzie, who struggled to get healthy during his time in the minor leagues, the security of a long-term deal, thereby ensuring a player who has flashed ace-of-the-staff potential will take his shot at reaching his ceiling in Cleveland.

Buying out McKenzie’s arbitration years and tacking on 2-3 more seasons seems like a deal that would be mutually beneficial for both sides if they believe in him. However, as long as the Guardians believe in their ability to draft and develop starting pitching, they may not be motivated to extend pitchers whom they already control until their age 29-30 season (an age at which many pitchers tend to decline).

I’d give Dr. Sticks a lifetime deal if it were up to me, but I suspect McKenzie will bet on himself and pass on the kind of discount it would take for the Guardians to keep him here for 6-7 years.

Cal Quantrill, 28 years old, free agent after 2025 season (represented by Excel)

Cal Quantrill is already a Guardian through his age 30 season, so I think an extension would look like getting a firm number for his arbitration years and tacking on two years — maybe with a team option or two.

I mention Quantrill primarily because he is always mentioned by players and media as a leader in the clubhouse and he seems set to be a workhorse who provides his team a chance to win every time he takes the mound. Despite being spoiled by a great pitching development system here in Cleveland, I think it’s important to remember that players like him don’t grow on trees, and he’s got a solid floor to rely on even if he does decline at thirty years of age as some pitchers do.

Ultimately, I think Quantrill is about one year too old for the Guardians to offer terms to which the right-hander would agree, but it doesn’t stop me from dreaming that he can be a Cleveland legend for his whole career.

Strike while the iron’s hot

Steven Kwan, 25, free agent after 2027 season (represented by CAA Sports)

Again, Steven Kwan finds himself at a great age where he will just have turned 30 during his last year of team control. That is the perfect space where a contract that buys out his arbitration years and adds 3-4 years, even, makes a lot of sense.

The issue with Kwan is that he is unlikely to be a great choice as a DH bat, so you’re relying on him to stay healthy enough to stay on the field. This is the bet with any extension, however, and Kwan has such an elite skill in being able to make contact that it makes perfect sense to me for the Guardians to go to him and see if he has interest in signing a deal to keep him hitting leadoff in Cleveland into his 30s.

Put Kwan right next to José Ramírez (and add Triston McKenzie while you’re at it!) as the faces of the franchise and let’s ride.

Andrés Giménez, 24, free agent after 2026 season (represented by Rep1 Sports)

Giménez had the best breakout year in a season with a lot of breakouts for the Guardians, with a gold glove at second base and a 140 wRC+ at the plate.

If Giménez and his agent believe that this is his norm, I think the possibility of an extension has probably already passed. However, I suspect that Giménez and his representation may value the idea of security that could take him into his 30s. The Guardians are still going to have to pay significantly for him unless they can pull some kind of Braves/Ozzie Albies magic.

The Guardians and Giménez should definitely engage in some thorough extension talks this spring either way. Dan Szymborski projected six years and $55 million would make sense for Giménez. I suspect it takes slightly more in average annual value (maybe $12-14 million per year?) and at least one more year, or team option, to get it done.

Bottom line

With uncertainty over their regional sports networks and ticket sales still rebounding from COVID and whatever effects the name change may or may not be having with the Cleveland faithful, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Cleveland hold off on aggressively pursuing extensions until that situation is resolved, which would put extension talks off until the fall unless a player is absolutely desperate to remain in Cleveland.

One factor Cleveland should consider is how contracts ballooned this offseason. It will happen again after the next lockout following the 2026 season. Getting some guys under contract through 2027, even if it’s for a little more than what the team is comfortable with, is likely a great way to save money in the long run. The team has to choose the right players to minimize the payroll flexibility they may lose, depending on the philosophy of the ownership group, if they extend a player who declines significantly.

Personally, I’d extend the whole bunch of lovable guys we call the Cleveland Guardians, but since I don’t pay the bills, all I can do is speculate that at least one of the names above may get extended before the regular season begins.

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Guardians

Who will pitch in front of Emmanuel Clase in Guardians’ bullpen: Hey, Hoynsie

By Paul Hoynes

Updated: Mar. 11, 2023, 10:29 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

Do you have a question that you’d like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here. You can also subscribe to Subtext here or text Hoynsie at 216-208-4346 for a two-week free trial.

Hey, Hoynsie: Can you give us an idea of who will constitute the bullpen and how they’ll be used before closer Emmanuel Clase enters the game? -- Jim Mullen, Bay Village.

Hey, Jim: I’d say there are six guys with jobs: Clase, set-up men James Karinchak and Trevor Stephan, Nick Sandlin in a right-on-right role, Eli Morgan in a multi-inning role if needed and Enyel De Los Santos in the sixth or seventh inning.

They could use a late-inning lefty if Sam Hentges, as expected, isn’t ready for opening day because of a shoulder injury. Prospect Tim Herrin might be a possibility, but manager Terry Francona sounds like he needs more seasoning.

Another multi-inning guy -- Xzavion Curry, Hunter Gaddis, Touki Toussaint, Konnor Pilkington -- could fit as well. It doesn’t sound as if Cody Morris will be ready for the start of the season.

Hey, Hoynsie: How much influence does Jose Ramirez have in whether the Guards keep Amed Rosario if a trade opportunity arises? -- Mike Barrett, Ashland.

Hey, Mike: I know Ramirez likes Rosario, but the last time I checked he wasn’t advising Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff in trade talks.

Hey Hoynsie: What is the contract status of Richie Palacios, Gabriel Arias, Zack Collins, Tyler Freeman, Roman Quinn, Brayan Rocchio and David Fry? -- J. Clymer, Dublin.

Hey, J: Collins, Quinn and Fry are on one-year minor league deals. Palacios, Arias, Freeman and Rocchio are on the 40-man roster and just agreed to one-year contracts.

Hey Hoynsie: What interactions happen in spring training these days between the MLB and minor league camps for fans who visit? I remember at Winter Haven (Florida) it was pretty easy to mingle and get to know players and coaches. -- Mike, Avon.

Hey, Mike: There’s a big difference between Winter Haven and Goodyear. There are a lot more fences and a lot less fans in Goodyear. Fans still can interact with players on the minor league fields, but access is limited.

The COVID-19 years of 2020 and 2021 and the lockout in 2022 didn’t help matters as far as fan access goes.

Hey Hoynsie: Has any pitcher seriously challenged Zach Plesac or Aaron Civale for a starter’s job? -- John Kyle, Westfield Center.

Hey, John: To be blunt, no. Plesac and Civale, to date, have pitched well.

Plesac is working on a string of six scoreless innings. Civale will make his third start Saturday vs. Oakland. The big thing with Civale is that he’s healthy after two years of nagging injuries.

Hey Hoynsie: In terms of some of the younger guys who didn’t play a full season in Cleveland last year, do you have a sense who you think could have a breakout season and maybe surprise us? -- Dan, Brooklyn, New York.

Hey, Dan: I’m not sure he’ll get enough playing time, but I think Will Brennan could be a pleasant surprise this season. I think utility men Gabriel Arias and Tyler Freeman are positioned to do the same, but like Brennan, steady playing time will probably be hard to come by.

Hey, Hoynsie: Who is the greatest first baseman in Cleveland history? I say Vic Power. -- Eric, Middletown.

Hey, Eric: I loved watching Vic Power hit and play first base. As a kid I copied his batting stance. Can still do it to this day.

But there was another first baseman you may have heard of. How about Jim Thome, the Hall of Famer and franchise leader in home runs?

Hey, Hoynsie: I know it’s a business, but I’m wondering if the pitchers, particularly Shane Bieber, will miss catcher Austin Hedges? -- Janice D., Columbus.

Hey, Janice: Hedges loved playing for the Guardians and did a great job behind the plate. He was loud and fun to talk to, but I think it will be a smooth transition to Mike Zunino.

I talked to Bieber in spring training, and he said he really enjoys throwing to Zunino. The Guardians put Zunino’s spring training locker in the same row as starters Cal Quantrill, Civale, McKenzie, Plesac and Bieber.

Hey, Hoynsie: A lot of things went right for the Guardians last year with its young players. Is there another team in the AL Central Division that might have a similar rookie bonanza this year? -- Carl, Orlando,

Hey, Carl: The Royals have a group of young position players that bear watching. Among them are Bobby Witt Jr., MJ Melendez, Vinnie Pasquantino, Michael Massey and Kyle Isbel.

The Tigers have some young position players as well in Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene, Akil Baddoo and Tyler Nevin. Greene, especially, looks promising.

They have young starting pitching as well, but it always seems to be injured. Mike Manning, their No. 1 pick in 2016, and Spencer Turnbull, their No. 2 pick in 2014, are healthy and projected to make the rotation.

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Guardians

Guardians’ 2023 opening-day payroll pushing $91 million after signing entire 40-man roster

By Paul Hoynes

Updated: Mar. 10, 2023, 8:35 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

The Guardians have reached contracts with their entire 40-man roster.

The team announced Friday that they have signed 28 players to one-year contracts. The 28 players were not eligible for arbitration, meaning they had fewer than three years in the big leagues.

The major league minimum for this season is $720,000.

Here are the players who signed: Gabriel Arias, Jason Bilous, Will Brennan, Juan Brito, Joey Cantillo, Xzavion Curry, Enyel De Los Santos, Tyler Freeman, Hunter Gaddis, Andres Gimenez, Oscar Gonzalez, Sam Hentges, Tim Herrin, Steven Kwan, Bryan Lavastida, Angel Martinez, Triston McKenzie, Eli Morgan, Cody Morris, Bo Naylor, Jhonkensy Noel, Richie Palacios, Konnor Pilkington, Brayan Rocchio, Nick Sandlin, Trevor Stephan, Jose Tena and George Valera.

There were no renewals among the 28 contracts. Contracts are renewed when the team and player cannot reach terms. The team then has the right to pay the player what it deems proper.

The Guardians, before Friday’s signings were announced, had committed just over $81 million in guaranteed salaries for 2023 to 12 players.

Jose Ramirez led the list at $22 million. He was followed by Josh Bell at $16.5 million, Shane Bieber $10.01 million, Amed Rosario $7.8 million, Mike Zunino $6 million, Cal Quantrill $5.55 million, Josh Naylor $3.35 million, Zach Plesac $2.95 million, Aaron Civale $2.6 million, Emmanuel Clase $1.5 million, James Karinchak $1.5 million and Myles Straw $1.25 million.

If that $81 million is added to the estimated salaries of the other 14 players who will make up the 26-man roster, providing they’ll all be paid at or just above the major league minimum, Cleveland’s payroll for 2023 could be an estimated $91 million. That would be the highest payroll since 2019 when Cleveland opened the season with a $123 million payroll, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

When the Guardians opened last season, they did so with a $68 million payroll. Not only did they have the youngest roster in the big leagues, they went on to win the AL Central.

Kwan, McKenzie, Morgan, Stephan, Gimenez, Gonzalez, Hentges and Sandlin, whose signings were among the 28 announced Friday, played big roles in Cleveland’s division-winning team last year.

Here are the projected 2023 team payrolls for the five teams in the AL Central: White Sox $178 million, Twins $148 million, Tigers $118 million, Guardians $91 million and Royals $87 million.

Cleveland’s payroll, despite the increase, is still dwarfed by teams such as the Mets $370 million, Yankees $270 million and the Padres $237 million. The Guardians are expected to rank near the bottom of MLB’s 30 teams based on payroll.

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Cleveland Guardians offseason reviewed

Originally posted on MLB Trade Rumors

By Mark Polishuk

Last updated 3/11/23

The Guardians had a pretty quiet offseason, but they splurged (by their modest payroll standards) on a pair of everyday sluggers to augment the lineup.

Major League signings

Josh Bell, 1B: Two years, $33M (Bell can opt out after 2023 season)

Mike Zunino, C: One year, $6M

Option decisions

None

Option decisions

None

Trades and claims

Acquired minor league IF Juan Brito from Rockies for IF/OF Nolan Jones
Acquired cash considerations or player to be named later from Brewers for IF Owen Miller
Acquired minor league OF Justin Boyd and player to be named later from Reds for OF Will Benson
Acquired minor league SP Ross Carver from Diamondbacks for RP Carlos Vargas
Acquired cash considerations from Cardinals for minor league IF Jose Fermin
Claimed SP/RP Jason Bilous off waivers from White Sox

Notable minor league signings

Anthony Gose, Zack Collins, Cam Gallagher, Touki Toussaint, Roman Quinn, Meibrys Viloria, Caleb Baragar, Dusten Knight, Phillip Diehl, Michael Kelly
Extensions

None

Notable losses

Austin Hedges, Bryan Shaw, Luke Maile, Kirk McCarty

Josh Bell and Mike Zunino have combined for 82 home runs in 1713 total plate appearances since the start of the 2021 season, while the Guardians had a collective 127 homers over 6163 PA during the 2022 season.

Of all 30 Major League teams, only the punchless Tigers went yard fewer times than the Guardians in 2022, making power the obvious need for Cleveland heading into the offseason.

This isn’t to say that Bell or Zunino were necessarily at the top of the wishlist. Zunino might not have even been the second choice, as such catchers as Sean Murphy and Christian Vazquez also drew interest from the Guards in both the trade and free agent markets.

However, the A’s and Guardians never lined up on a trade match for Murphy, and thus the backstop ended up headed to the Braves as part of a three-team, nine-player deal. Vazquez, meanwhile, went elsewhere in the AL Central by signing a three-year, $30M pact with the Twins.

With other options off the market, Cleveland pivoted to Zunino on a one-year, $6M deal — significantly less than the cost of Vazquez’s deal, or the prospect cost it would’ve taken for the Guardians to top Atlanta’s offer for Murphy.

It’s fair to assume that the Guards’ limited payroll played some role in the front office’s decision to ultimately land on Zunino, as well as the team’s related need to use its minor league system as a steady pipeline of talent.

If Zunino is healthy, the Guardians can reasonably count on the backstop to deliver his customary blend of strong defense, a lot of power, and also a lot of strikeouts at the plate.

Health is no guarantee, however, since Zunino’s 2022 season was cut short by thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in July. TOS surgery is still a new enough procedure that there isn’t much of a proven track record for predicting how well a player (particularly a hitter) might rebound in the aftermath.

In short, it means that the Guardians are somewhat rolling the dice with a position that has been relatively stable for years.

Cleveland has long been willing to accept subpar offense from their catchers (i.e. Roberto Perez, Austin Hedges, or Luke Maile) in exchange for excellent glovework, and yet in the wake of Zunino’s surgery, the Guardians don’t really know what they’re getting offensively or defensively behind the plate.

Unsurprisingly, the Guards have tried to mitigate that risk with other catchers, signing Cam Gallagher, Meibrys Viloria, and Zack Collins to minor league deals. That trio and in-house candidates Bryan Lavastida and David Fry are all in competition for the backup catching job, and the Guardians are also surely hoping that Bo Naylor earns another MLB promotion at some point in 2023.

Naylor will begin the season at Triple-A to amass more regular playing time, but if Zunino or any of the backup candidates struggle, it might force Cleveland’s hand in regard to how much more time Naylor spends in the minors.

The catching position needed to be addressed with Hedges and Maile entering free agency, and first base also stood out as a position of need considering the Guards’ need for power. The answer was Bell, who will team with Josh Naylor (Bo’s brother) in a first base/DH timeshare.

It is worth noting that Jose Abreu was another prominent name the Guardians considered, to the point that the Guards reportedly made Abreu a three-year offer before the first baseman opted to sign with the Astros for a three-year, $58.5M deal that was presumably out of Cleveland’s price range.

Bell’s contract is for a more modest $33M over two years, and it might end up being a one-year, $16.5M pact since Bell has the ability to opt out after the 2023 season.

The contract size and structure reflects Bell’s inconsistency over the last four seasons, as other teams may have been wary about giving a longer-term deal to a player with so many extreme peaks and valleys in his production.

The bottom-line numbers are strong, as Bell has hit .264/.353/.475 with 89 homers in 2051 PA since the start of the 2019 season, translating to a solidly above-average 120 wRC+.

But, the 2022 season was a microcosm of Bell’s ability to swing between hot and cold. After crushing the ball with the Nationals prior to the trade deadline, Bell was dealt to the Padres as part of the blockbuster Juan Soto trade, and the first baseman then struggled badly with San Diego.

On the plus side, Bell’s high-contact, low-strikeout approach at the plate is a match for a Guardians team that adheres to that offensive philosophy. There is also a chance that Bell’s best power numbers are yet to come, if he can get the ball in the air more often and cut back on his near-league-leading grounder totals.

Bell and Zunino are the big additions to a Cleveland roster that will look very familiar to the 2022 model, and the “if it ain’t broke…” logic can certainly apply to the Guardians’ relatively slow winter. The Guards were the youngest team in baseball in 2022, and yet many of these young talents helped lead Cleveland to the AL Central title and then the deciding fifth game of the ALDS against the Yankees.

As well, an argument can be made that the Guardians were ahead of the curve in preparing for the 2023 season, since they’ve already built a roster based around speed and defense heading into a season where both facets of the game will be emphasized by the new rules. (Even the pitch clock adjustment should be less difficult for a team with so many players who have so recently competed under a clock in the minor leagues.)

President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti left no wiggle room in stating they “have every intention of trying to contend [in 2023], and trying to win a World Series.”

Still, even if the Guardians considered trading for Murphy, the concept of packaging several prospects in a win-now move generally isn’t Cleveland’s style. Likewise, even trading more established players like Amed Rosario, Aaron Civale, or Zach Plesac to create room for the newcomers might’ve been a tactic the Guardians would’ve explored if they didn’t feel they were genuinely close to competing for a championship.

This isn’t to say that one of the starting pitchers or maybe even an everyday shortstop like Rosario might not be on the trade block by the deadline, but that would mean that either the Guardians have fallen out of the race, or else the team has immense faith that one of its wealth of young pitchers or young middle infielders is ready for a larger role.

The Guards did move some younger players in trades this winter, partly out of necessity to open up 40-man roster spaces for more up-and-comers.

Will Benson, Carlos Vargas, Owen Miller, and Jose Fermin all had some nice numbers in the minor leagues and Benson and Miller had even made their MLB debuts, but the Guardians moved all four of these players in low-level deals for cash or for minor leaguers who didn’t yet need to be placed on the 40-man.

The Nolan Jones-for-Juan Brito trade was a bit different, as Brito did immediately secure a spot on the 40-man roster. The deal probably came as a surprise to some Cleveland fans who wondered why the Guardians were moving a player recently considered among the team’s top prospects, since Jones was a regular on top-100 lists from 2019-21.

That said, the Guards felt comfortable in moving Jones (coming off his MLB debut season) to the Rockies for Brito, a 21-year-old middle infielder who has yet to reach high-A ball.

It could be the Guardians were simply taken by Brito’s ability strong minor league production and up-the-middle defensive profile, or perhaps they had concerns about Jones’ high strikeout totals and his lack of a clear-cut defensive position.

A natural third baseman, he obviously had no path to playing time at the hot corner in Cleveland. Since Jones was ultimately dealt for a prospect and not more of a win-now piece, perhaps other teams shared these concerns about Jones’ viability at the big league level.

More deals could certainly emerge over the course of the season, as the Guardians could be tempted to make a more significant prospect-for-veteran swap at the deadline in order to bolster themselves for a playoff race. Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff have set out to make the Guardians into perpetual contenders rather than a team that pushes their chips in for a singular run, but there might be a bit of extra pressure to try and win while the Guards still have Bell, Rosario (set for free agency after the 2023 season), Shane Bieber (after 2024), and while Jose Ramirez is still in his prime. Plus, given how longtime manager Terry Francona isn’t sure how long his health problems will allow him to keep managing, the organization surely wants to capitalize on having one of the game’s best skippers in the dugout.

We’ve already seen some hints of Cleveland’s aggressiveness in its payroll hike, as the Guardians are set to spend around $90.7M in 2023. It isn’t a top-tier payroll by any measure, but it is an increase from the approximate $69M the Guards spent on last year’s player budget.

It remains to be seen how much more leeway (if any) Antonetti and Chernoff have for any midseason additions, though it’s probably safe to assume that the Guardians aren’t going to suddenly splurge on any high salaries at the deadline.

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Guardians

Guardians send down George Valera, Logan Allen, Peyton Battenfield, Joey Cantillo

By Paul Hoynes

Published: Mar. 12, 2023, 12:48 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

The Guardians re-assigned four players from big league camp on Sunday.

Left-hander Joey Cantillo and outfielder George Valera were optioned to Class AAA. Left-hander Logan Allen and right-hander Peyton Battenfield were re-assigned to minor league camp.

Catcher Bo Naylor was optioned to Triple-A Columbus last week.

Cantillo made his Cactus League debut for the Guardians on Saturday with a scoreless seventh inning in a 4-2 win over Oakland. He struck out one and walked one.

The left-hander came to Cleveland as part of the Mike Clevinger deal in 2020. The Guardians love his stuff, but he’s had trouble staying healthy. He made just 14 appearances, including 13 starts, last year at Class AA Akron, but Cleveland still added him to the 40-man roster.

“He’s a kid that’s coming off of some arm issues last year,” manager Terry Francona told reporters at the team’s training facility in Goodyear, Arizona. “He’s an ultra-competitive kid, so he didn’t want to hear that message from us (that he was getting sent down), which isn’t so bad. But sometimes you’ve got to protect kids from themselves.

“He’s going to want to get in a game and be pumping it up, so we just wanted to slow play it a little bit. We told him in a couple of months, nobody’s going to remember.”

Valera is Cleveland’s top position player prospect, but he re-injured his right hand making an awkward swing on Feb. 28 and hasn’t played since. Valera underwent surgery in December to have the hamate bone removed from his right hand.

Last season Valera hit 24 homers between Akron and Columbus and could still help the Guardians at some point this season.

Allen and Battenfield pitched scoreless innings against Oakland on Saturday. In three appearances this spring, Allen posted a 9.82 ERA, allowing four earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out one and walked four.

Last season he went 9-7 with a 4.75 ERA in 27 starts at Akron and Columbus. He led Cleveland’s minor league system with 177 strikeouts in 132 2/3 innings.

Battenfield made a good impression this spring. He appeared in three games, posting a 1.68 ERA and a .067 batting average against. He allowed one earned run and struck out four in five innings.

Last season Battenfield went 8-6 with a 3.63 ERA in 28 starts at Columbus. He struck out 109 in 153 2/3 innings.

There are 52 players left in big-league camp.

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Guardians

Yu Chang big hit for Chinese Taipei in World Baseball Classic: Guardians takeaways

By Paul Hoynes

Published: Mar. 12, 2023, 4:19 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The World Baseball Classic has been very good to Yu Chang.

Chang, Cleveland’s former utility player, is hitting .438 (7 for 16) with two homers and eight RBI for Chinese Taipei. Chang and Shohei Ohtani are tied for the WBC lead in RBI through four games.

Last season Chang was Cleveland’s opening day second baseman. He was purchased by the Pirates on May 30. From there he bounced to the Rays and Red Sox. He became a free agent at the end of the 2022 season and re-signed with the Red Sox in February.

Chang, playing for his home country of Taiwan, hit a grand slam to help Chinese Taipai beat Italy. They are playing in Pool A of the WBC with Cuba, Italy, Netherlands and Panama. All five teams are 2-2 in round robin competition.

Cleveland signed Chang as an international free agent in 2013. He played parts of four seasons with them.

No. 1: Testing, testing, testing

Josh Naylor started in right field Saturday against Oakland for the first time this spring. He handled the start without incident and started at first base Sunday against the Royals.

“You don’t do something like that on a whim,” manager Terry Francona told reporters at the team’s training site in Goodyear, Arizona. “We told him way back in December (that he was going to play some right field).”

“He’s been taking balls out there. Because you don’t know what can happen. It’ll be nice to know he can go out there.”

Naylor suffered a season-ending broken right ankle while playing right field on June 27, 2021 at Target Field. He collided with second baseman Ernie Clement chasing a fly ball.

He returned last season to set career highs in homers and RBI, but the ankle still bothered Naylor for much of the year. He played just five games in the outfield in 2022, spending most of his time at first base or DH.

Naylor has been moving around the diamond much better this spring.

No. 2. An interesting guy

David Fry is one of five catchers trying to win the backup job behind Mike Zunino. Fry, however, does more than catch.

So far this spring he’s played first and third as well as catch. He hasn’t hurt himself at the plate either. Fry is hitting .462 (6 for 13) with two homers and five RBI in 10 games.

“He’s an interesting kid because you don’t usually see a guy with that combination of first base, third base, catcher,” said Francona. “He generally swings at strikes, which is a good thing.”

Fry, 27, is a spring-training invitee who hit 17 home runs for Class AAA Columbus last year. Cleveland acquired him from Milwaukee in November of 2021 for right-hander J.C. Mejia.

“After we got him from Milwaukee, the guys warmed up to him quickly,” said Francona. “He has some leadership skills. . . We would like to watch him catch a little more, especially because some guys are going to be away. And that will happen this week.”

Francona was referring to catchers Bo Naylor and Meibrys Viloria playing in the World Baseball Classic.

No. 3. Run, Guardians, run

Stolen bases attempts, according to research by Jayson Stark of the Athletic, have increased by 50% compared to last spring training. Which, when you think about it, is just what MLB wanted by limiting pitchers to two pickoff attempts, making the bases larger and shortening the distance between bases.

The Guardians entered Sunday games with 13 steals in 15 attempts. Tyler Freeman leads the way with three steals in three attempts. Jose Ramirez, Gabriel Arias and minor leaguer Chris Roller are 2-for-2.

osh Naylor and Richie Palacios are the only Guardians to be thrown out on steal attempts.

Francona said Commission Rob Manfred, on his tour of spring training camps, will meet with Cleveland’s players to get their feedback on the new rules.

No. 4: Finally

Francona batted Myles Straw leadoff on Sunday to get an extra at-bat or two as he tries to get his swing going. Straw, coming off a poor season offensively, is 1 for 9 this spring.

Straw missed the first week of Cactus League games because of a sore right knee. Since then, he’s been batting ninth and hasn’t been getting a lot at-bats. . .Jhonkensy Noel, who missed several games with back tightness, pinch-hit on Saturday. . .Former Guardian Franmil Reyes DH’d for the Royals on Sunday. . .Lefty Sam Hentges, who hasn’t thrown since March 26, is tentatively scheduled to start a throwing program this week.

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Guardians can’t keep pace with Royals power in 7-6 spring-training loss

By Paul Hoynes

Published: Mar. 12, 2023, 7:02 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Guardians had trouble keeping the ball in the confines of Surprise Stadium on a windy Sunday in the Arizona desert.

The Royals hit four home runs, including one by former Cleveland DH Franmil Reyes, in a 7-6 victory over the Guardians. Left fielder Matt Beatty hit two of the four homers, one off starter Xzavion Curry and the second, a two-run shot, off Emmanuel Clase in the fifth.

Reyes, released by the Guardians last year, hit a leadoff homer off Eli Morgan in the sixth to make it 5-2. It was the second homer of the spring for Reyes, who is in camp on a minor league deal.

Dairon Blanco gave the Royals their fourth homer, a two-run shot, off lefty Tim Herrin in the seventh for a 7-2 lead.

The Guardians, 5-9-1 in Cactus League play (their win over Mexico does not count), made it close in the eighth on a two-run triple by Angel Martinez. Jhonkensy Noel opened the inning with a homer, while Micah Pries singled and Isaiah Greene walked to bring Martinez to the plate with two out.

They added another run in the ninth on a groundout by Brayan Rocchio, but they could get no closer.

The Royals took a 2-0 lead on Beatty’s homer in the first and a double-play grounder in the second.

Myles Straw made it 2-1 with a single in the third. Gabriel Arias, who opened the inning with a double, scored. In the fifth, Arias stole home from third on the front-end of a fake double steal to cut the Royals lead to 4-2

Way to work:

Curry became the second Cleveland starter to go four innings this spring. He allowed two runs on five hits in a strong effort. Curry struck out one and didn’t walk a batter.

Zach Plesac threw four scoreless innings on Wednesday against Mexico.

That’s more like it:

Straw, batting leadoff to get a few more at-bats, opened the game with a walk and singled in his next two plate appearances. Straw had one hit this spring before Sunday’s game.

Atonement, kind of:

Noel, just cleared to play after missing time with a sore back, pinch ran for Josh Bell after Bell’s leadoff single in the sixth. Noel apparently lost track of the count on Josh Naylor as he jogged to second on what he thought was ball four, but was actually ball three. Noel was easily thrown out.

In the eighth, Noel made up for the blunder, with a home run down the left field line. It was Noel’s first Cactus League hit in 13 at-bats. Last year Noel hit 32 homers at three levels -- Class A Lake County, Class AA Akron and Class AAA Columbus.

In the ninth, however, Noel tried to stretch a two-out single into a double and was thrown out at second for the final out of the game after Cleveland had cut KC’s lead to 7-6.

Double trouble:

The Guardians hit into three double plays in the first four innings. Rookie Will Brennan hit into two of them and Bell hit into the other.

Counter point:

Cleveland’s infielders turned two double plays in the first four innings.

Testing the waters:

Tyler Freeman, who has made his living in the infield, replaced Brennan in left field in the sixth inning. It was his first time in the outfield.

Finally: Plesac (0-1, 11.25) will face RHP Michael Graves (0-0, 1.50) and the Dodgers in Glendale, Arizona on Monday at 4:05 p.m. James Karinchak, Touki Toussaint, Michael Kelly, Luis Oviedo and Nick Mikolajchak are on the lineup card to follow Plesac.

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Steven Kwan gets two hits, Will Brennan homers in Guardians’ 11-4 spring training loss to Dodgers

By Joe Noga,

Updated: Mar. 13, 2023, 7:40 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Steven Kwan reached base three times including a pair of hits and an RBI, and Will Brennan swatted his first spring training home run Monday in an 11-4 loss to the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz.

Cleveland fell to 5-10-1 in Cactus League play while the Dodgers moved to 10-4-3. James Karinchak (0-1, 9.00 ERA) took the loss after allowing three earned runs including a two-run home run to Max Muncy in the fourth. Gavin Stone (1-0, 0.00) earned the win for LA.

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With less than 2 weeks of ST remaining, quite a few guys need to step it up.

Not pretty so far.

Last place Cactus League

Guardians mailbag: Lineup construction, roster talk, Bo Naylor’s timeline, more Mar 4, 2023; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez (0) hits a double against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning at Hohokam Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
By Zack Meisel
Mar 13, 2023



Let’s get straight to your questions, which have been edited for clarity.

How does Tito seem, health-wise? Do you think this is his last year as manager? — Andrew M.

As healthy and like himself as he’s seemed since before the 2020 season. It’s a good sign when Terry Francona wants to stick around the media workroom at the complex after his morning session to dissect the previous night’s college hoops slate for 20 minutes. That’s been the case all spring.

The remainder of his Cleveland tenure is tethered to his health. I can’t predict that. He can’t predict that. So, no one truly knows the answer. I will say, given how he feels relative to recent years and given the state of the team, if he continues to avoid medical pitfalls, I see no reason he wouldn’t come back in 2024. But who knows?

Could you give a Bo Naylor update? Why isn’t Naylor the No. 2 catcher? It seems he won’t make the Opening Day roster. Is it all about (the) development timeline? Does him playing for Canada (in the World Baseball Classic) factor in? — Billy B.
Bo Naylor and Matt Brash celebrate Canada’s win over Great Britain. (Zachary BonDurant / USA Today)

The Guardians have hinted since the fall that they want Naylor to start the season at Triple A, and Friday they officially told him he was being optioned. That said, they really like him. He’s their future catcher. When will that future arrive? Maybe later this year, depending on Mike Zunino’s health and output. Next year at the latest.

He has an intriguing skill set, with a rocket arm behind the plate (which is especially beneficial with the new rules that encourage base-stealing and limit pickoffs), solid contact ability, some power, some speed and a clear desire to improve. Listening to him converse with Spanish-speaking teammates in Spanish in the clubhouse has been one of the most impressive things I’ve witnessed this spring. He taught several teammates how to play chess. (I picked up on “los pawns.”)

The catcher position carries more responsibility than any other spot on the diamond. In addition to his hitting duties, he has to know the preferences and tendencies of all of his pitchers, as well as the opposing hitters. That’s a lot to learn, and usually there are growing pains. The guess here is at some point this year, the Guardians will transition him to the majors and he’ll gradually absorb some of Zunino’s playing time. But they want him playing daily to start the season, so he’ll do that with Triple-A Columbus, equipped with the knowledge he’s picked up from hanging around Zunino, Sandy Alomar Jr. and Team Canada this spring.

Which of the many young flame-throwers do you see forcing their way into the rotation first (and likely pushing Aaron Civale or Zach Plesac out)? — Greg B.

There are some pitchers in the way who will be summoned first, but one of the most intriguing storylines to monitor this summer will be whether Daniel Espino, Gavin Williams and/or Tanner Bibee can nudge their way into the Guardians’ rotation plan this season. In a recent conversation with The Athletic’s prospects guru, Keith Law, I asked what realistic expectations should be for the trio of Top 50 starting pitching prospects. He noted pitcher health and attrition before adding: “Guardians fans should get their hopes up a little more — this is a heck of a group and if Espino comes back healthy, you can at least hope you get two above-average starters from the trio.” I’m not clairvoyant enough to know which of the three stands the best chance of forcing their way into the majors — Williams and Bibee have commanded plenty of attention this spring — but if they’re all healthy and if there’s a need, any of the three could.

Josh Bell and Josh Naylor will hit in the middle of the lineup, but do you think we see some shuffling with the top of the lineup or do you see a repeat of last year (Steven Kwan, Amed Rosario, José Ramírez)? How much longer will Andrés Giménez hit in the 6/7 spot? — David W.

“Oh, we don’t need to make out our lineup ahead of time …” is how Francona would answer this, but he doesn’t need to chime in. His spring lineups have provided all the hints we need to conclude that the top of the order will likely remain the same, with Bell hitting fourth behind Ramírez.

Here’s how I would arrange it. (Granted, I’m just a jabroni with a laptop):

1. Steven Kwan
2. José Ramírez
3. Andrés Giménez
4. Josh Bell
5. Josh Naylor
6. Oscar Gonzalez
7. Amed Rosario
8. Mike Zunino
9. Myles Straw

That’s using the nine expected starters, and basing the arrangement on last year’s production. Against left-handed starters, with the same nine, I’d probably switch it to Rosario at No. 2, Ramírez at No. 3 and Giménez and Naylor lower in the order. But, they don’t pay me to construct lineups.

What do you think are the best and worst-case scenarios for Gonzalez? — Mark M.

There’s probably not another player on the roster with as wide a range of potential outcomes. I recently used Javier Báez as a comparison, not because they’re identical hitters by any means, but because they’re both free swingers with certain metrics parallels. Báez has been both an MVP runner-up and a colossal disappointment in the past five years. For Gonzalez and the Guardians, the best-case scenario is he cements himself as an everyday right fielder, so draw up whatever production you associate with that role. There’s legitimate 30-homer power in there. The worst-case scenario is he fails to adjust to pitchers tossing him more junk out of the zone. That would translate to a low enough on-base percentage to overshadow any power he provides.

If Cleveland is in first place at the trade deadline, are we going to be trading for hitting or starting pitching? — An L.

I’ll guess starting pitching, but here’s the bottom line: The reason you accumulate young talent and stockpile prospects is to construct a championship roster, and part of that equation is trading away some future talent for immediate help. The Guardians couldn’t be better positioned to make upgrades this summer. There’s no excuse not to fix whatever deficiencies might surface between now and then.

Are the Guardians really going to let Rosario play out the season and walk away with nothing but maybe a draft pick (because they extend him) the qualifying offer? That doesn’t really seem like a good business decision. They should be able to trade him for something more valuable. — Richard S.

Long live the Amed Wars.

I think you’re overrating his value on the trade market, especially relative to the risk you’re taking in assuming Gabriel Arias or Tyler Freeman could step in and immediately match his production. There hasn’t been a robust market for Rosario dating back to last summer. The pool of trade partners is limited to contenders, and most either employ a talented shortstop or preferred to pursue one of the star free agents over the winter. Plus, a contender, in many cases, is going to offer a prospect or two in return for Rosario, rather than a useful major leaguer. There’s risk involved there, too. The Red Sox briefly kicked the tires on him this winter, but apparently weren’t motivated to overwhelm the Guardians. There’s value in a shortstop you can rely on for 2.0 to 2.5 fWAR, but with only one season remaining until he hits free agency, teams just aren’t going to fork over much. The Dodgers would make sense now that Gavin Lux shredded his knee, but the question remains the same from Cleveland’s standpoint: Are you getting enough in return to offset the risk you’re taking? And is it worth a mutiny in your clubhouse this close to Opening Day? If the Guardians weren’t contenders, they would’ve traded him last summer. Instead, it’s not so simple. Sometimes circumstances force you to counter your own convention.

There aren’t many at-bats for the last guy on the (Opening Day active) roster, so does that make Roman Quinn the front-runner? A veteran with speed and defense feels like the perfect type of player for that spot. — Scotty H.
Will Roman Quinn nab a roster spot? (Rick Scuteri / USA Today)

It gives him legitimate consideration, yeah. Part of the calculus is that his primary competition should be receiving consistent playing time to spur their development. There figure to be three bench spots available for Quinn, Freeman, Arias, Will Brennan and Richie Palacios. Quinn wouldn’t need regular at-bats, and he could offer some value with his speed on the bases and ability to chase down fly balls at any outfield spot. The main drawback is he isn’t on the 40-man roster.

If the Guardians played the Cavs in a flag football game who would win? — Jamie P.

How is anyone preventing the Cavs from throwing deep to Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen? (Though, I will say, the Cavs’ potential took a hit with Kevin Love taking his outlet passes to South Beach.)

On the Winking Lizard Hot Take scale, where does Gonzalez and Arias combining for 40-plus homers rank? — Robert B.
Gabriel Arias had one home run in 47 at-bats last season. (Rick Scuteri / USA Today)

Let’s go with chipotle chili — somewhat high up there on the spectrum, but that number is a bit low to consider anything that would have you begging your server for a gallon of milk or a ride to the Cleveland Clinic. Gonzalez has 30-homer potential, says the writer who foolishly predicted 40 homers for Franmil Reyes year after year. Gonzalez did lead the farm system in homers in 2021, and while he socked only 11 in 91 games for the Guardians in 2022, his power seemed to surface more as the season unfolded. He did rack up 27 doubles.

Arias possesses power, too. It’s his contact that’s more in question, and his playing time clouds everything. He’s the favorite to be the utility infielder, but will that afford him enough at-bats to reach 12 to 15 homers? Predicting, say, 28 for Gonzalez and 12 for Arias doesn’t sound outrageous. But it’s a safer bet that one of the two struggles or doesn’t get sufficient playing time to make you prophetic.

Cam Gallagher is getting a ton of reps early this spring. Is he the most likely candidate for the backup catcher role, and if so, does a 40-man roster move need to happen? — Josh C.

He is the favorite and, yes, he’ll need to replace someone on the 40-man roster.

Francona: “We tried to trade for him once. We almost claimed him once. He’s almost been in Cleveland a few times. We feel like he comes in with the right ingredients: a guy who can catch first, run the running game, things like that. He may have had the best job in baseball being (Salvador Perez’s) backup, the way Salvy plays. He has a really good outlook on the way to catch the game.”

Do you think Shane Bieber could get traded if he and the Guardians are far apart money-wise as the deadline nears? — Anonymous U.

I’d argue the Guardians need to be adding playoff-caliber arms this year, not subtracting them (assuming they’re in contention). I think they need to hang onto Bieber until they have some sort of front-of-the-rotation succession plan. That’s where the Espino/Williams/Bibee group enters the conversation, but can you trust them to start playoff games this October? That’s a tall order. Ask again in eight months, though. It could be an interesting winter.

If the Guardians needed to bring up a left-handed starter for a doubleheader, who are two or three guys they would consider? — Ryan D.

Pour one out for Scott Lewis, Aaron Laffey, Billy Traber, Brian Tallet, Jeremy Sowers, David Huff and Jason Stanford. The Guardians have three lefties on the 40-man roster, so they’d conceivably be the choices: Logan Allen, Konnor Pilkington and Joey Cantillo.

The Guards won’t be able to ease their way into the season this year with seven games against the Mariners and three against the Yankees in the first two weeks, plus the impact of the rule changes on pitchers. Would you expect to see an overloaded bullpen to start the year? Is there discussion of starters going fewer innings given the new rules? — Bill L.

Teams can carry a maximum of 13 pitchers, but what you laid out explains why the Guardians would love for one of the relievers who claims an Opening Day spot to be able to handle multiple innings. Tim Herrin, Jason Bilous and Touki Toussaint have all either started or assumed a multi-inning role in the past.

Zack, how do you not know the pasta is still frozen before taking a big-ass bite? — Stacey Y.

You’re asking this about Terry Francona, a guy who woke up the morning of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series with his remote control lodged in his ribs and his glasses buried in a pile of peanut butter.

I'm too lazy to look it up, but I can't keep straight roster sizes, pitching limits, minor league shuttle to the Show rules, option rules.

Anything left over from the pandemic rules?

Is there a short summary somewhere?

Cam Gallagher Looks Like He'll Be The Guardians Backup Catcher

By Tommy Wild

Last updated 3/14/23

One of the vacancies that the Cleveland Guardians have as they finalize their Opening Day roster is who will be the backup catcher for Mike Zunino .

The Bo Naylor era is coming, but not just yet. The Guardians assigned him to Triple-A Columbus where he'll start the season with the Clippers. Naylor may see some time up with the Big League club, but not immediately.

This leaves a position up for grabs and this spot is likely to be filled by Cam Gallagher .

The Guardians are looking for one thing from their second-string catcher, defense. This may worry fans considering the lack of offensive production the Guardians got from their catchers in 2023. But this time around it will be different.

Zunino should offer the offense a much-needed boost at the plate when he's in the game. He's looked healthy so far in Spring Training so there's no reason to believe that he won't get the normal starting time.

Plus, it wouldn't be surprising to see Naylor get the call-up if Zunino does suffer an injury that keeps him out long-term.

Gallagher's role will be to step in if something were to happen to Zunino mid-game and start a game behind the plate here and there during the first part of the season.

The classic backup gig.

The 30-year-old will be entering his seventh MLB season and he spent the first six with the Kansas City Royals. Over those six seasons, Gallagher slashed .240/.302/.355. So Gallagher definitely won't be a liability when he's in games. However, he has struggled quite a bit with the paint during Spring Training.

While this has not been confirmed by Terry Francona just yet, it doesn't make the most sense. If Gallagher isn't the backup catcher, the Guardians have a few other options.

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The Guardians Keep Getting Love From Analysts

By Andres Chavez

March 14, 2023

The Cleveland Guardians weren’t really expected to be as competitive as they were in 2022.

They had missed the postseason in 2021 and the overall state of the franchise wasn’t that promising back then: they had traded franchise favorite Francisco Lindor earlier that year and their young kids hadn’t really developed yet.

Last year, however, was a coming out party for Cleveland.

Jose Ramirez had another stellar season, as did rotation stalwarts Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie.

Behind Emmanuel Clase, the bullpen blossomed into one of the best in the league, and some talented young guys like Andres Gimenez, Steven Kwan, Amed Rosario, Josh Naylor and Oscar Gonzalez broke out.

As a result of these developments, Cleveland won 92 games, took the AL Central crown, and proceeded to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays in the Wild Card round.

They took the New York Yankees to the maximum of five games in the Division Series.

Overall, the Guards left an amazing impression.

Talkin’ Baseball analysts Jake Storiale and Trevor Plouffe discussed the state of the Guardians franchise on their show.

They talk about how the team lacked some power last season, then went on and added it in the form of first baseman Josh Bell and catcher Mike Zunino.

They said there are just not a whole lot of holes in the Guardians’ roster, and they are right.

They are strong across the board; and also deep and talented.

Pitching, defense, and now some power will surely take them far this season.

If they manage to get into the postseason, they could be very dangerous and difficult to eliminate in a short series with that bullpen.

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Guardians lose, 8-6, as Angels rally for four runs in the ninth inning

By Paul Hoynes

Updated: Mar. 14, 2023, 7:56 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

Shane Bieber looked good over 4 2/3 innings Tuesday afternoon at Goodyear Ballpark, but the Guardians allowed four runs in the ninth inning as the Angels rallied for a 8-6 win.

Bieber struck out five and it appeared the Guardians had the game under control when they scratched out three runs in the sixth to take a 6-4 lead. But the Angels responded against Konnor Pilkington in the ninth with four runs on three hits.

Cleveland is 5-11-1 this spring.

The Guardians entered the sixth trailing, 4-3, but they sent nine batters to the plate. After Josh Bell started the inning with a walk, Jose Baez, the younger brother of Jose Ramirez, pinch ran. Angel pitcher Jonathan Holder hit Oscar Gonzalez with a pitch and walked Gabriel Arias to load the bases.

Bryan Lavastida drew Cleveland’s second straight walk to score Baez and tie the game a 4-4. Luis Durango, who played at Class A Lynchburg last year, singled for a 5-4 lead. Cesar Idrugo, another A ball player from Lynchburg and Lake County in 2022, beat out an infield hit to score Arias for a 6-4 lead.

That’s more like it:

Bell’s two-out RBI single in the first was just his fourth RBI of the spring. Bell started the third with a single that tied first baseman Jake Lamb into knots. In the sixth, he reached for the third straight time with a leadoff walk.

Spinning Straw into gold:

Gold Glove center field Myles Straw saved Bieber some extra-base trouble with an over the shoulder catch against Matt Thaiss just in front of the center field wall to start the fourth inning. Max Stassi sent another long fly ball to the gap in right center that almost caused a collision between Straw and Gonzalez, who was sprinting over from right field. Straw avoided Gonzalez and made the catch.

A little brings a lot:

After Cam Gallagher beat out just his second hit of the spring to start the fifth, Straw moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. That doesn’t happen much in spring training where players work on their swing, but it paid a dividend.

After Steven Kwan flied out to center, Amed Rosario drove a two-run homer over the fence in left field for a 3-2 lead.

Good recovery:

Trevor Stephan started the sixth by walking Lamb. He complicated matters by surrendering a two-run homer to Brandon Drury for a 4-3 lead. But he retired the next three batters.

That started a run of eight straight outs by Cleveland relievers until Enyel De Los Santos allowed a two-out single in the eighth. De Los Santos pitched out of a bases-loaded jam to protect a 6-4 lead, while Nick Sandlin struck out the side in order in the seventh.

Pilkington, however, was charged with four runs, but only one was earned because of a two-out error by third baseman Emerson Purroy.

End of the line:

Bieber’s scoreless inning streak ended in the first inning on a two-run, two-out homer by Jared Walsh. Bieber entered Tuesday’s game having thrown five scoreless innings in two spring starts. That does not include a B game against the Padres.

The finisher:

After Bieber left with two outs in the fifth, prospect Jordan Jones relieved. He fell behind Tyler Ward 3-0, but came back to throw three straight strikes to end the inning.

Jones did the same thing on March 3 when he relieved Zach Plesac with one out and the bases loaded in the first inning against Milwaukee. Jones ended the inning with a 4-6-3 double play grounder.

Next:

RHP Triston McKenzie (0-2, 12.00) will face the Padres and RHP Michael Wacha at 9:40 p.m. in Peoria, Arizona. Emmanuel Clase, Hunter Gaddis, Eli Morgan, James Karinchak, Tim Herrin, Phillip Diehl, Dusten Knight and Caleb Barager are on the card to pitch as well for Cleveland.

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