Cleveland Sports Forum

Do the Guardians have three aces or are they a desert mirage? Hey, Hoynsie!

Updated: Mar. 14, 2026, 10:51 a.m.|Published: Mar. 14, 2026, 6:00 a.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Do you have a question about the Guardians that you’d like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? You can subscribe to Subtext here, text Hoynsie at 216-208-4346 for a two-week free trial or email him at phoynes@cleveland.com.

Hey, Hoynsie: Could Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams and Slade Cecconi be aces on other MLB contenders? — Andy Mees, Sandusky.

Hey, Andy: Slow down and take a deep breath. I think you may have a touch of cabin fever. Spring training has a purpose and one of them is to not get spellbound by performances in the Florida sunshine or the Arizona desert. Bibee, Williams and Cecconi have pitched well this spring, but the real test begins March 26.

X-rays negative on Daniel Schneemann’s right ankle; Guardians still assessing injury

Hey, Hoynsie: Is the ABS strike zone uniform or does it change with the height of the batter to reflect how the strike zone is supposed to be administered? — Bill Barno, Granville.

Hey, Bill: It changes from player to player based on their height.

ABS measures a player’s strike zone by using a two-dimensional rectangle placed in the middle of the plate. The top and bottom of the strike zone are personalized to that player’s height with 53.5% of a player’s height at the top of the zone and 27% at the bottom.

The width of the strike zone is 17 inches, the same as home plate.

Hey, Hoynsie: What can you tell us about outfielder Jace LaViolette, Cleveland’s (first-round) pick last year out of Texas A&M? — Ted Belak, Westlake Village, Calif.

Hey, Ted: LaViolette didn’t play for the Guardians last season because he needed two operations on his left hand. Assistant GM James Harris said the 6-foot-5, 234-pound LaViolette spent most of the winter in Goodyear, Arizona, and is healthy. Said Harris, “I’ve got him as the second fastest player on campus next to Stuart Fairchild. Imagine a guy that big, running that fast.” He’s expected to start playing minor league games soon.

Hey, Hoynsie: Is there any way the Guardians could experiment with the six-man rotation that was so successful in their miraculous September run last season? I know there was an extra arm thanks to expanded rosters, but couldn’t you stretch the bullpen a bit? — Bob Maistros, Lake Worth, Fla.

Hey, Bob: I’m sure they could do it under specific circumstances — injuries or a quirk in the schedule — but manager Stephen Vogt is on record as saying he’ll open the season with a five-man rotation.

The way Vogt uses the bullpen, I can’t see him staying with seven relievers for any length of time.

Hey, Hoynsie: Did I miss something? Did Logan Allen get hurt? — John Power, Lakewood, Calif.

Hey, John: Allen is fine. You lost track of him because he left the team to pitch for Panama in the World Baseball Classic. He’s back now and is scheduled to start Saturday against the Padres.

Hey, Hoynsie: What is the status of right-hander Andrew Walters? When will he be back? I thought he looked better than Cade Smith before he was injured. — Anz Collins.

Hey, Anz: Walters seriously injured his right lat muscle — it tore away from his shoulder bone — last year and required surgery on June 9. He’s been throwing bullpen sessions, playing long toss and should start throwing batting practice in the next two weeks.

Hey, Hoynsie: If the Guardians are trying Steven Kwan in center to make room for more productive bats in left and right field, shouldn’t they consider losing shortstop Gabriel Arias’ throwing arm for a better bat? — Stephanie Reeve Boles.

Hey, Stephanie: I get your point, but who would you replace Arias with? Brayan Rocchio could move over from second base, but Arias was more productive than him last year. If the Guardians had another Francisco Lindor waiting in the minors, a move like that could work.

Hey, Hoynsie: Besides Jose Ramirez, is there one player from whom the Guardians need a big season to continue their recent run of success? — Larry Morgan, La Mirada, Calif.

Hey, Larry: They’re going to need more than one player pulling on the same end of the rope as Ramirez. I’ll start with Steven Kwan and Kyle Manzardo. Cade Smith consistently slamming the door in the ninth inning would help as well.

Hey, Hoynsie: Do you think the Guards have decided to keep Rule 5 right-hander Payton Pallette since they’re getting down to the final two weeks of spring training? — Jim Harris, Newark.

Hey, Jim: I’m sure they’re thinking about it, but there’s still a lot of time left before they have to make that decision. The right forearm injury to Hunter Gaddis may create an opening. But would the opening last all season? Because that’s how long the Guardians are required to keep Pallette on the big-league roster.

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X-rays negative on Daniel Schneemann’s right ankle; Guardians still assessing injury

Updated: Mar. 14, 2026, 10:57 a.m.|Published: Mar. 14, 2026, 12:52 a.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Daniel Schneemann, the Guardians’ valuable utility man, sprained his right ankle during infield drills Friday morning and was removed from the starting lineup before Cleveland played the Angels in Tempe, Arizona.

Manager Stephen Vogt said X-rays on Schneemann’s ankle were negative and that the team’s medical staff would further assess his condition.

“He twisted his ankle a little bit during infield drills so we’re still assessing it,” said Vogt, after the Guardians’ 5-2 loss to the Angels at Diablo Stadium. “He saw the doctor. We need to get more information tomorrow.

“Right now, it doesn’t sound super serious. He did get X-rays and they were negative.”

The timing is not great for Schneemann’s injury. The Guardians break camp in 11 days and will open the regular season on March 26 with a four-game series against Seattle at T-Mobile Park.

If Schneemann has to start the season on the injured list, it would open a spot on the 26-man big-league roster. Infielders Juan Brito, Carter Kieboom, CJ Kayfus, Dayan Frias and Milan Tolentino are among the Guardians most versatile players still in camp.

Angel Martinez, besides Schneemann, is probably the Guardians’ most experienced player when it comes to manning multiple positions. However, since the start of the 2025 season, he’s played mostly outfield.

Schneemann played six positions last season. This spring he has made starts at four positions — second base, third base, shortstop and left field.

Before the Guardians announced the injury, reporters asked Vogt about Schneemann in Friday’s morning press conference.

“He’s so valuable in so many ways,” said Vogt. “The ability to play six spots on the infield and give you competitive at-bats, and then some, from the left side is a piece that most teams would love to have.”

Cleveland drafted Schneemann out of Brigham Young University in 2018 with their 33rd-round pick. He made his big-league debut in 2024 at age 27.

Last season Schneemann hit .206 (78 for 379) with 12 homers and 41 RBI. In the second half, he hit just .194 (32 for 165) with three homers and 16 RBI.

In his exit meeting after last season, the Guardians told him they wanted him to get stronger. He did just that and was hitting .320 (8 for 25) with two RBI in nine spring games before he was injured.

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Guardians Reliever Is Closing In On Key Step In Injury Recovery

March 14, 2026

By Andres Chavez

In case you don’t remember, Cleveland Guardians right-hander Andrew Walters was one of the most talented relievers in the farm in 2024, when he forced his way up to the MLB squad with some brilliant performances in Double-A and Triple-A.

He even had a perfect ERA in 8.2 frames during that 2024 stretch run after receiving the call, and pitched three innings in the postseason with a solid 3.00 ERA. In late May 2024, however, Walters suffered a painful injury, and everything changed.

A high-grade right lat strain ended his season and forced him to go under the knife. After a long recovery, he is making strides, but won’t be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign.

“Walters seriously injured his right lat muscle — it tore away from his shoulder bone — last year and required surgery on June 9. He’s been throwing bullpen sessions, playing long toss, and should start throwing batting practice in the next two weeks,” team insider Paul Hoynes wrote.

Generally speaking, Walters’ recovery is going along nicely, considering the ugly injury he suffered. He still has some items to cross off the list, though.

The fact that he is already throwing bullpens is nice, but as Hoynes says, he will need to progress to live batting practice for the team to have an idea of how long he will be out. He needs to feel that adrenaline rush that pitchers experience when they compete against a hitter.

Once he clears the hurdle of facing live hitters from a mound, he will need to accumulate some innings in a minor league rehab assignment. The idea is for him to regain his rhythm and feel for his mechanics on the mound while facing live competition in a low-stress environment.

Once he has accumulated some innings in the high minors, the Guardians will consider him for a call-up if need be. A healthy Walters should definitely have a spot in Cleveland’s bullpen, but it all will depend on circumstances.

Perhaps guys like Peyton Pallette, Colin Holderman, or Codi Heuer are all pitching well when Walters is ready, forcing him to wait a few weeks. In any case, Walters’ progress and how effective he looks in his assignment will determine his fate.

This is, potentially, a dominant, high-leverage arm for the Guardians. But he needs to prove he is fully healthy first.

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Guardians Catcher Could Be Poised For Big Breakout

March 14, 2026

By Mike Battaglino

The Cleveland Guardians have pinned a lot of their hopes for success in the 2026 season on improvement from within. That could come from an influx of young prospects, such as Chase DeLauter and George Valera, but it also needs to be seen from their returning players.

Bo Naylor is a prime example of the latter. After a significant rise in production in the final month of last season, the Guardians are hoping that he can continue that trajectory this year.

If his performance for Canada at the World Baseball Classic is an indicator, Naylor is on the right track. He batted .353 with an OPS of .941 in four games before his team was eliminated in the quarterfinals by the United States, despite his long home run.

That means the Guardians catcher could be poised for a big offensive breakout when the MLB season begins.

“Naylor picking up where he left off late last season after making an adjustment to his swing. Would be huge if he breaks out offensively in 2026. 136 wRC+ over his last 19 games of the 2025 season,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.

Before leaving spring training for the WBC, Naylor was excelling in the Cactus League as well. He had five hits in 10 at-bats for a .500 average and a 1.383 OPS in four games.

That is coming off a September when he batted .290 with an OPS of .872 in an extended run of 62 at-bats. It included three home runs and 16 RBIs.

The fact that he could perform at such a level in important games during an MLB pennant race and in a high-profile tournament like the WBC is even more encouraging. With the Guardians looking for any offense they can get after ranking among the worst teams last season, more performances like these from Naylor will certainly bode well for Cleveland’s postseason hopes.

The Guardians’ projected lineup has been met with some skepticism, especially after they made virtually no moves to improve it this offseason, other than signing veteran slugger Rhys Hoskins at the start of spring training. In addition, top prospect Travis Bazzana and his offensive potential are likely to begin the season in the minors, leaving lighter-hitting Brayan Rocchio and Gabriel Arias as the middle infielders for now.

However, if Naylor can keep it going, he could help Cleveland overcome any shortfalls from other positions.

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