Stuart Fairchild




Guardians’ outfield coming into focus after Jones outrighted

March 20th, 2026

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Heading into the final days of Cactus League play, the Guardians’ crowded outfield picture is coming into focus.

Friday, the Guardians outrighted Nolan Jones to Triple-A Columbus and optioned Petey Halpin to the Clippers. The moves brought more clarity to the outfield mix, certainly when coupled with news from manager Stephen Vogt that George Valera is “highly likely” to open the season on the injured list with a left calf strain.

(The same applies to reliever Hunter Gaddis, who is coming back from right forearm tightness.)

Here’s four thoughts on Friday’s news and maneuverings.

1. Jones facing decision

The Guardians avoided arbitration with Jones in November by reaching a one-year, $2 million deal. He is out of Minor League options, so the Guardians had two pathways if they weren’t going to put him on their Opening Day roster: outright Jones or designate him for assignment.

Because Jones has over three years of big league service time, he has the ability to reject the outright (which removed him from the 40-man roster) and elect free agency. He must make his decision within 24 hours.

The Guardians reacquired Jones (their second-round Draft pick in 2016) from the Rockies near the end of Spring Training last year. Early in camp this year, he acknowledged wasn’t sure the Guardians were going to bring him back for 2026. Jones has recorded a .618 OPS in 215 games over the past two seasons. He hit 20 homers and had .931 OPS over 106 games in ‘23 with Colorado.

• Jones didn't think he'd be back in Cleveland. He's hungry to prove why he is

Jones now must decide whether he wants to continue trying to rediscover that form with the Guardians’ organization or elsewhere.

“We continue to believe that Nolan can be an impact player in this league, and it's just unfortunately not going to be on Opening Day with us,” Vogt said. “But we're all hopeful that Nolan remains with us in the organization and gets back to his old form. Because what we've seen from Nolan in stretches is somebody who can impact our team, both in the field and at the plate.”

2. Fairchild vs. Kayfus for final outfield spot?

Valera was positioning himself to make the Opening Day roster. But he last played on March 9 due to his calf strain, hence why he’s likely to open the season on the IL. The Guardians aren’t going to risk anything by rushing him back.

With the versatile Daniel Schneemann in their mix, the Guardians have four outfield spots available. Steven Kwan owns one, and Chase DeLauter (Cleveland's No. 2 prospect and No. 46 overall per MLB Pipeline) and Angel Martínez both appear to have earned one.

That leaves non-roster invitee Stuart Fairchild and CJ Kayfus as the two options for the final outfield spot. Fairchild would add a right-handed-hitting presence to a roster full of lefties, has fared well against southpaws in his career (.746 OPS) and he can play all three spots.

Kayfus played first base (17 appearances) and right (29) in the Majors last year following his Aug. 2 MLB debut. He could slot in right while Valera is sidelined, certainly against right-handed pitching, and slide to first base in a pinch if the Guardians need him to.

3. Kwan in center

It already appeared to be trending that way, but Vogt confirmed Kwan will see at least some time in center field.

“It's just going to depend on how the lineup shakes out on any given day,” Vogt said. “We know that he can play center field, and he's probably going to play some center field."

• Does Kwan have the chops for CF? Ask his outfield coach

Kwan drew the start in center on Friday against the Mariners. He previously made 10 starts out there this spring compared to four in left. The Guardians’ ability to slot him there opens the corners up for guys such as DeLauter, Kayfus and Valera, all of whom profile as corner guys.

4. Halpin makes impression

Halpin will be perhaps the first guy in line for a big league callup when the Guardians need outfield help. He made a strong impression this spring, in which he played all three spots and went 8-for-30 (.267) with two doubles, two homers and five walks compared to nine strikeouts.

“We watched a big leaguer play this spring,” Vogt said of Halpin. “We just unfortunately don't have a spot for him on the Opening Day roster. But we know that Petey has the ability and the skill set to come in and be an impact player for us in all aspects -- the baserunning, the defense, the hitting.”

Tim Stebbins covers the Guardians for MLB.com.

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Stephen Vogt Gives Disappointing Update on Two Opening Day Staples for Cleveland

The Cleveland Guardians were hoping to have bodies healthy for Opening Day, but as it slowly approaches, the team may be without George Valera and Hunter Gaddis.

Cade Cracas

Mar 19, 2026

The Cleveland Guardians are just days away from the start of the 2026 MLB regular season.

And unfortunately, it looks like they may be without a few critical members of the major league roster.

On Thursday, March 19, ahead of one of the final spring training games of the year, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt spoke to the media about relief pitcher Hunter Gaddis and outfielder George Valera, both of whom have been out recently due to injury.

"They're progressing, you know, day by day," Vogt said. "You know, we're running out of time, we realize that, and so we may have to make some decisions soon, but they're both progressing well."

The update from Vogt isn't necessarily a bad one, but by saying that the team is running out of time, he is somewhat implying that they may not be ready by Opening Day. If that's the case, the Vogt and the coaching staff will have to make a few big adjustments to the lineup and bullpen that day.

#Guardians manager Stephen Vogt says that Hunter Gaddis and George Valera are “progressing day by day” but understands that with Opening Day approaching, the team “may have to make some decisions soon”#GuardsBall x @WEWS pic.twitter.com/OMb6bAi0l4

— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) March 19, 2026
Gaddis has been out since his the spring training opener, suffering a shoulder injury. In that lone game on the mound, though, he was excellent, tossing two strikeouts in one inning of action.

He’s been a staple out of the bullpen over the past couple of seasons, not just for the Guardians, but across the league. Since the start of the 2024 campaign, he’s appeared in the second-most games in MLB.

Valera, on the other hand, has been fortunate enough to play most of spring training. He's increased his stock tenfold, pushing for a chance to be one of the team's starting outfielders for the 2026 campaign. Across 24 at-bats, he's struck seven hits, two doubles and a home run for four RBI.

It's important that both get healthy quickly, but not at the expense of long-term issues. They are expected to be very important players in the bullpen and at the plate this season.

Taking Their Places

Fortunately, because neither player is expected to miss significant time, the Guardians will likely avoid placing them on the injured list.

While that helps prevent a prolonged absence, it does leave the bullpen and bench slightly thinner in the short term.

Cleveland will likely turn to an outfielding lineup of Steven Kwan, Chase DeLauter and Angel Martinez if Valera isn't good to go. There's also a chance that one of either CJ Kayfus, Petey Halpin or Stuart Fairchild gets the nod to take up a bench spot if Valera's injury does take a bit more time to heal than expected.

In the bullpen, the coaching staff may just lean into the starting rotation as much as they can, avoiding wearing down the bullpen too quickly.

If they do get into tough spots where the starters need to bow out of the contest earlier than expected, the Guardians will likely turn to the newcomers Connor Brogdon, Shawn Armstrong and Colin Holderman, in hopes of taking over Gaddis' usual time.

Peyton Pallette and Erik Sabrowski are also expected to contribute in middle relief, while Cade Smith could handle closing duties.

The Guardians do have a very exciting bullpen; the only question is if the coaching staff can find the appropriate hierarchy that allows each to get in an early-season groove, even with Gaddis in a questionable state.

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Guardians Facing 3 Major Roster Decisions

March 21, 2026

By Mike Battaglino

With the 2026 MLB season right around the corner, the Cleveland Guardians are facing crunch time when it comes to finalizing their 26-man roster. Though some decisions have been made for them, either by performance or injury, several key areas have yet to be determined.

With just four spring training games left on the schedule, the organization may construct the roster based more on rules and player development than on anything done on the field from here on out. With the March 26 regular season opener at the Seattle Mariners looming, the organization likely has enough information to come to a conclusion.

The Guardians are still facing three major roster decisions ahead of Opening Day, with one in the outfield and two on the pitching staff.

“Cleveland Guardians decisions left to be made before opening day. Who makes the roster with George Valera heading to IL? OF/1B CJ Kayfus (40-man), OF Stuart Fairchild (Not on 40-man); Who makes the roster with Hunter Gaddis heading to the IL? (Holderman has options remaining). RHP Colin Holderman (40-man), LHP Kolby Allard (Not on 40-man), RHP Codi Heuer (Not on 40-man); Who is the 5th starter? (Both have options remaining). LHP Logan Allen (40-man), LHP Parker Messick (40-man),” Guardians Prospective posted on X.

First, Valera’s left calf strain will have him on the injured list to start the season. He was projected to have a starting spot in the outfield, especially after Nolan Jones was optioned to Triple-A after a terrible spring. Now, this injury leaves an opening for Kayfus, who likely would be used more at DH, or Fairchild, a veteran backup who can play all three outfield positions.

Second, the loss of top setup reliever Gaddis to forearm tightness is a significant blow to open the year. With Rule 5 Draft pick Peyton Pallette earning a role with an exceptional spring, that leaves the last bullpen spot to be given to Colin Holderman, Kolby Allard or Codi Heuer, with 40-man roster considerations potentially the deciding factor.

Third, in what has been an ongoing competition throughout camp, the final spot in the starting rotation remains up for grabs. With Joey Cantillo out of options and having to clear waivers to be sent down, that leaves either Logan Allen or Parker Messick facing demotion, at least to begin the season. Messick, a rookie, had much better spring performances than Allen, but the veteran did make 29 starts for Cleveland last year.

These choices are unlikely to make or break the Guardians’ season, but they are important nonetheless, as they want to give themselves the best chance to get off to a good start.

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Guardians’ Rule 5 Draft Pick Reacts To Making Opening Day Roster

March 21, 2026

By Mike Battaglino

MLB’s Rule 5 Draft is designed to help both player and team. It allows a prospect who may be “stuck” in one organization a chance to join another, while it allows the ballclub to address an area where it feels it may be lacking.

The trade-off is that the player who is selected has to remain on the active major league roster for the entire season. So, it pays to use those picks wisely.

The Cleveland Guardians may have found the ultimate Rule 5 lottery ticket in pitcher Peyton Pallette. The hard-throwing right-hander selected away from the Chicago White Sox made Cleveland’s team in spring training and could take on a very important role in the bullpen in 2026.

The Guardians’ Rule 5 Draft pick recently reacted to making the Opening Day roster, calling it a “dream come true.”

“It was a relief. It’s a dream come true. But also, there’s still a job to do,” Pallette said, per Tim Stebbins.

Rule 5 Draft pick Peyton Pallette has made the Guardians’ Opening Day roster. Stephen Vogt informed him Monday.

“It was a relief. It’s a dream come true. But also, there’s still a job to do.”

— Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) March 20, 2026

Pallette has been lights out this spring with no runs allowed and 11 strikeouts and three walks in 6.0 innings over five appearances. It’s even more impressive considering he got off to a bit of a late start due to some shoulder fatigue at the start of camp.

It is a truly fortunate development as the Guardians entered spring training looking for help in their bullpen, and then learned that top setup man Hunter Gaddis is likely to begin the season on the injured list after experiencing forearm tightness. That is why the payoff could be huge from the Rule 5 Draft, which is held every December at the Winter Meetings.

A second-round pick by the White Sox in the 2022 MLB Draft, Pallette began his pro career as a starter. But in 2025, he became a reliever and posted a 4.06 ERA with 86 strikeouts and 28 walks in 64.1 innings at Double-A and Triple-A combined. Though he has a repertoire of four pitches, he will rely mostly on his fastball, which can reach 98 mph, out of the bullpen.

He likely won’t be used in high-leverage situations early in the season, but if he continues to pitch as he has, that could become his role at some point.

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How Peyton Pallette Earned an Opening Day Roster Spot For the Cleveland Guardians

Pallette was acquired by the Guardians from the Chicago White Sox in the 2026 offseason during the MLB Rule 5 Draft.

Cade Cracas

1 hour ago

The Cleveland Guardians' most impactful decision of the offseason may have occurred during the MLB Winter Meetings.

And no, it wasn't an eye-popping free agent signing or blockbuster trade, but rather the selection of right-handed pitcher Peyton Pallette.

The 24-year-old had played the previous three seasons with the Chicago White Sox after being taken in the second round of the 2022 MLB June Amateur Draft. While there were ups and downs during his time in the white and black, the decision to allow him to leave came as a bit of a surprise.

But ending up with the Guardians may have been the best thing for his career.

In the late evening hours of Friday, March 20, MLB Insider Tim Stebbins released that Pallette had made the Guardians' Opening Day roster. The decision was actually made earlier in the week on Monday.

"It was a relief," Pallette said. "It's a dream come true. But also, there's still a job to do."

This spring, he's been incredible.

Across five games played and six innings pitched, he's posted a 0.00 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, allowing just three hits and three walks while striking out an impressive mark of 11 batters. Out of most of Cleveland's relievers this spring, he's looked by far one of the sharpest.

His fastball has jumped to an average of 97 mph, while he's gotten swinging strikes on 15% of his pitches.
Heading into the 2026 campaign, he'll have to continue to prove that he has what it takes to play at the major league level. With Cleveland's storied history of having great pitchers, they won't allow long leashes to many arms.

However, it shouldn't be too much of a concern for Pallette, who's playing some of his best baseball at the moment.

Pallette's Career Before Becoming a Guardian

It wasn't always positive steps in the right direction for Pallette.

Since coming out of college, where he played for Arkansas for two campaigns, he's been attempting to get his feet underneath himself in professional baseball.

In his first season with the White Sox, he suited up for Single-A ball, pitching in 22 games for Kannapolis. While there, he threw a 4.13 ERA and 1.361 WHIP. His biggest issue was allowing players on base, where he averaged nearly 12 hits and walks combined per nine innings.

Fortunately, he then took a jump in 2024, playing in both High-A and Double-A ball, averaging a season ERA of 4.37 and WHIP of 1.324. His strikeouts per nine innings jumped into double figures as well, showing growth in his control as he settled in.

Then, in 2025, when he was expected to see another year of growth, the White Sox's front office actually decided to rush him all the way up to Triple-A.

He looked fine, tossing a 4.36 ERA and 1.200 WHIP across 36 games on the mound, but it was obvious that the fast-track up to the highest level of the minor leagues would come with bumps in the road. All the front office had to do was trust his timeline and allow him to develop.

But for some reason, they decided to move on from the talented reliever and let him potentially get picked up in the Rule 5 draft, which he would be.

Sometime down the road, maybe in just a short couple of months, the White Sox will greatly regret allowing him to end up in the hands of a division rival.

After all, Cleveland's known for bringing in questionable or raw arms and turning them into some of the best in MLB.

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Tanner Bibee Gets Honest About Opening Day Nod

March 21, 2026

By Andres Chavez

On Friday, the Cleveland Guardians revealed that Tanner Bibee will take the ball for the team in its Opening Day assignment vs. the Seattle Mariners on Thursday. Surprisingly, it will be the first time the righty starts the ever-important first game of the season.

He had gotten the nod last year, but was ultimately scratched from that game due to acute gastroenteritis, confirmed as food poisoning. He returned just a few days later.

Bibee didn’t hide his excitement and feels proud to lead his club from the get-go. It will be his job to set the tone and promote a winning culture with a solid start.

The fact that you get the second time, it’s kind of like a vote of confidence, and it’s a really nice thing to just have the opportunity again to go out there and lead us on Opening Night. Obviously, I didn’t get to do it last year, so I think the emotions will still be the same. So I’m pretty excited,” he said, per Mason Horodyski of News 5 Cleveland.

#Guardians Tanner Bibee on getting another chance to be the Opening Day starter after getting scratched last year due to illness:

"The fact that you get the 2nd time, it's kind of like a vote of confidence, and it's a really nice thing to just have the opportunity again to go out…

— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) March 20, 2026.

Maybe Gavin Williams had a better season last year from a run-prevention standpoint, with a 3.06 ERA compared to a 4.24 mark by Bibee, but the latter had the highest fWAR, 1.9 to Williams’ 1.4. Their Fielding Independent Pitching, or FIP, was very similar: 4.34 for Bibee and 4.39 for Williams. This information doesn’t say much other than the fact that both hurlers have a lot of room to grow.

Bibee’s 4.24 ERA wasn’t his finest work, but he at least showed a huge reaction in the second half and, particularly, in September, when he posted a 1.30 ERA in 27.2 innings. That’s his ceiling, and it’s still quite high.

Let’s not forget this is a pitcher who racked up 3.0 fWAR as a rookie in 2023 and had a 3.3 mark in 2024. He might not be a bona fide superstar like Tarik Skubal or Garrett Crochet, but Bibee is a steady, dependable hurler in his prime who will show the world that the version of himself he showed last year is far from his best.

Maybe the best is yet to come for Bibee, and he has been rewarded with the ever-symbolic Opening Day start.

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Takeaways From the Cleveland Guardians Spring Breakout Victory

Tommy Wild

Partner

The Cleveland Guardians showcased their future on Thursday in their 4-2 Spring Breakout victory over the Los Angeles Angels’ group of prospects.

Here are three takeaways from this exhibition match previewing the next wave of Cleveland’s top young talent.

Wuilfredo Antunez’s Two-Hit Day

The Guardians needed four runs to take down the Angels’ group of prospects, and Wuilfredo Antunez was responsible for three of them.

The 23-year-old’s first at-bat came in the third inning, and on the second pitch he saw, Antunez blasted a ball over the right field wall, with an exit velocity of 102.7 mph. The home runs scored by Angel Genao and Jaison Churio gave the Guaridans a four-run lead.

In many ways, it shouldn’t be surprising that Antunez was part of the scoring for the Guardians. Last year, between High-A and Double-A, the outfielder logged a .856 OPS, including 18 home runs, in 382 at-bats.

In a game with many of the organization’s top prospects, such as Ralphy Velazauez, Kahlil Watson, Chourio, and Genao, Antunez could be considered underrated. He made sure to make his presence known and contribute to Cleveland’s win, though.

Josh Hartle, Joey Oakie, and Braylon Doughty Preview Future Guardians Rotation

Part of the fun of Cleveland’s pitching factory is watching them be acquired/drafted and ascend through the organization before joining the Major League team.

Right now, it’s Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen, and Joey Cantillo, and the future of the rotation was showcased in Cleveland’s 2026 Spring Breakout Game.

Josh Hartle (No. 27), Joey Oakie (No. 10), and Braylon Doughty (No. 8) each got into Monday’s contest and gave a preview of what Cleveland’s rotation could look like down the line. The trio combined to cover 5.1 innings, giving up just six hits, three walks, and two runs, but struck out nine batters.

Of this trio, Hartle is the closest to making the big leagues, but even he’s only at Double-A and reached that level toward the end of the 2025 season.

We’re potentially talking about Cleveland’s 2028-29 rotation, but there’s still a lot to look forward to with this group.

Milan Tolentino's Success Continues

The Spring Breakout game is full of players who won’t reach the Majors for years, if ever. However, there were a few players on Cleveland’s roster who could make an impact on the Guardians in 2026, one of those being Milan Tolentino

Tolentino was recently reassigned to Minor League camp, but Stephen Vogt said he’s “just one call away,” after a standout Spring Training. The infield prospect continued to show his sharp eye at the plate, notching a base hit and a walk in three at-bats.

Out of each of Cleveland’s prospects who competed in this game, Tolentino could be one of them who makes an unexpected impact as soon as this year.

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Cleveland Guardians Rotation Set After New Roster Move

Tommy Wild

Partner

The Cleveland Guardians Opening Day rotation appears set after the team's recent roster move.

One of the big questions the Cleveland Guardians had to answer heading into Spring Training was what the team’s starting rotation would look like heading into Opening Day. Now, the Guardians have the answer after the organization made a roster move on Saturday morning.

The Guardians optioned Logan Allen to Triple-A, meaning the starting five heading into the season will be:

Tanner Bibee
Gavin Williams
Joey Cantillo
Slade Cecconi
Parker Messick

The Guardians already announced that Tanner Bibee will be the Opening Day starter, but the rest of the order has yet to be determined.

Bibee and Williams were the obvious locks in Cleveland’s rotation, with most of the competition coming down to Allen, Cantillo, and Messick.

Coming into training camp, Messick felt like the odd man out, simply because of his still being a prospect, having the most options out of anyone in the group, and Cleveland’s ability to slow-play his build-up, hopefully making him available for the entire season.

But to Messick’s credit, he forced the Guardians to put him in the rotation after a phenomenal Cactus League showing. He appeared in four games this spring, logging a 3.60 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Those stats are also inflated by his most recent outing, where Messick gave up four earned runs.

Simply looking at the stats, Messick proved he was one of Cleveland’s top starting options heading into the season, and he earned a spot in the rotation.

One of the other players on the fringe of being brought into the rotation included Joey Cantillo. Even though he had an up-and-down spring, the left-hander is out of options; Cleveland had to have him on the Opening Day roster in some capacity.

After Cantillo’s phenomenal September, the Guardians need to see what he can provide at the start of the year.

As for Allen, he’ll start the season at Triple-A, but that doesn’t mean he won’t help the Guardians in some capacity this season. Stephen Vogt has routinely said throughout the spring that everyone in Columbus is one call away, including Allen.

The rotation that a team starts the season with is rarely the same group as the one that ends the season. If the Guardians need another starter for whatever reason throughout the year, Allen has a good chance of being the first arm called up this year.

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Guardians

8 spring things the Guardians didn’t see coming: The week in baseball

Updated: Mar. 21, 2026, 2:36 p.m.|Published: Mar. 21, 2026, 10:49 a.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

GOODYEAR — Here are eight things you didn’t see coming from the Guardians as spring training nears its end:

Peyton Pallette

The Rule 5 right-hander started spring training with a sore right shoulder. That’s never good news for a player, especially one trying to convince his new team that he’s worthy of them keeping him on its 26-man roster for the season.

Pallette, however, overcame the sore shoulder to make Cleveland’s bullpen. In five appearances, he’s thrown six scoreless innings, striking out 11 and walking three. The opposition is hitting .150 against him.

In his last game, he went two innings against the Cubs with three strikeouts. Two-inning outings are a telltale sign that a reliever is ready for the season. In Pallette’s case, his season will be in the big leagues.

Chase DeLauter

It’s a stretch to say no one saw this coming. Not after what DeLauter did in the spring of 2024 when he hit .500 (10 for 20) with four homers and nine RBI for the Guardians.

The thing that surprised people this spring, at least to this point, is DeLauter’s ability to avoid injury and stay on the field. There was concern early in camp because of a sore hamstring, but there was never a concern about his bat. DeLauter is hitting .394 (13 for 39) with one homer and six RBI.

Travis Bazzana

Bazzana was the favorite target of visiting reporters this spring. They wanted to talk to the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft. Bazzana answered every question with tact and intelligence.

He knows he’s under the microscope because so many of the players taken after him in the first round of that draft have already made it to the big leagues.

Amid all those questions, he started to show what kind of player he is. He had competitive at-bats and showed power and the ability to hit the ball to the opposite field. There was emotion to his game, especially when he played for Team Australia in the World Baseball Classic.

When it comes to defense, Guardians fans have been spoiled by the range of Andres Gimenez and Brayan Rocchio at second base. Bazzana is not that smooth or rangy, but he’s getting better.

Steven Kwan

Few, if any, saw the Guardians moving Steven Kwan from left field to center field this spring.

Cleveland’s outfield for the last four years has had one common thread — Steven Kwan starting day in and day out in left field. That is no longer the case.

It’s an interesting move because Kwan has won four Gold Gloves in left field and has been the only consistent hitter in the platoon mishmash that is the essence of Cleveland’s outfield.

Manager Stephen Vogt says he can always put Kwan back in left field, but the move looks like a permanent one. Kwan has started 11 games in center and four in left this spring.

Petey Halpin

Just what the Guardians need, another left-handed hitting outfielder, right?

When it comes to Petey Halpin, what with Kwan spending so much time in center field and George Valera nursing a strained left calf that is expected to put him on the injured list for opening day, the Guardians moved Halpin from center to left and he did just fine.

He made seven starts in left, while showing power and speed at the plate with two homers and three stolen bases.

The Guardians brought Halpin to the big leagues last year as a pinch runner and defensive replacement. The next time he gets promoted, a bigger role could be waiting for him.

Rhys Hoskins

Hoskins represents the kind of player the Guardians spent all winter saying they wouldn’t sign — a veteran free agent who would block a younger player’s path. But they needed a right-handed hitter, and it helped that he’s hit for power throughout his career.

So, if you didn’t see him coming, that’s OK.

Hoskins, 33, hasn’t made the club yet, and he does have an opt-out clause in his minor league contract. But despite a lot of swing and miss, he’s hit three homers with eight RBI and a .831 OPS this spring.

Angel Martinez

Angel Martinez has always been an intriguing player with his ability to switch hit and play multiple positions. Last season he was the Guardians’ primary center fielder, while also playing second base.

He’s spent most of his time in the outfield this spring, making nine starts in center and five in left field. He’s also hitting .351 (13 for 37) with three homers and four RBI.

Now if he can just improve against right-handed pitching.

Guardians don’t have to pay

MLB and the players association waited until the last minute, but they did the right thing in agreeing that the Guardians do not have to pay the salaries of pitchers Emmanuel Clase ($6.4 million) and Luis Ortiz (around the MLB minimum of $780,000) in 2026 while the legal proceedings of the government’s case against them for conspiring with gamblers continues.

The Guardians not only lost the services of Clase and Ortiz last year when they were removed from their roster in July. They still had to pay their salaries through the end of the season as federal prosecutors built their case against them.

They didn’t deserve to go through that again.

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Guardians

Guardians’ Parker Messick wins fifth spot in rotation; Logan Allen optioned

Updated: Mar. 21, 2026, 2:45 p.m.|Published: Mar. 21, 2026, 12:33 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
GOODYEAR — Manager Stephen Vogt set the Guardians’ starting rotation Saturday when he told reporters that left-hander Logan Allen was optioned to Triple-A Columbus and rookie Parker Messick would be the fifth starter.

The five starters are: Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Slade Cecconi, Joey Cantillo and Messick. Bibee will pitch the season opener Thursday night in Seattle, but who will follow Bibee has yet to be determined.

Allen made his fourth start of the spring on Friday night against Seattle at Goodyear Ballpark. It did not go well.

He allowed 12 runs on 14 hits in 2 1/3 innings. Two of the hits were homers in Seattle’s 20-8 win.

Allen went 0-2 with a 18.00 ERA in this spring. The opposition hit .481 against him.

Messick, who made his big-league debut last year, is 2-0 with a 3.60 ERA in four starts this spring.

“It was super tough to make a move like this,” said Vogt. “Logan has been a huge part of what we’ve done over the last two years. He’ll still be part of it, but it just won’t be on opening day.”

The Guardians ended last year with six frontline starters in September. Vogt knew the competition this spring would be heated.

“We knew this was going to happen after we saw what these six guys did last September,” said Vogt. “We knew today was going to be a hard day wherever we landed.

“We know it’s going to take more than five starting pitchers to get through the season. The beauty of it is we know we have at least one pitcher, and maybe more, who can come up and jump right into the rotation and help us win games.”

Allen missed time in spring training to pitch for Panama in the World Baseball Classic and struggled after rejoining the Guardians in Goodyear.

“Logan is a major league starter,” said Vogt. “He’s not a Triple-A starter. We just don’t have room for six.”

Regarding Messick, Vogt said, “It’s about all five of them. We’ve seen great stuff, great competitiveness, pitching in good counts and executing their pitches.

“Parker had a phenomenal spring. He specifically threw two or three times on back fields, and you wouldn’t know it. He was pitching like he was pitching in Game 6 of the ALCS.”

The Guardians promoted Messick from Columbus on Aug. 20. He went 3-1 with a 2.72 ERA in seven starts. He struck out 38, walked six and allowed 12 earned runs in 39 2/3 innings.

Guardians make trade

The Guardians traded infielder Carter Kieboom to the Phillies for cash on Saturday. Kieboom will report to the Phillies’ minor league complex in Florida.

Kieboom, in camp on a minor league deal, hit .160 (4 for 25) with one homer and five RBI. He appeared in 16 games.

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Guardians make trade



The Guardians traded infielder Carter Kieboom to the Phillies for cash on Saturday. Kieboom will report to the Phillies’ minor league complex in Florida.

Kieboom, in camp on a minor league deal, hit .160 (4 for 25) with one homer and five RBI. He appeared in 16 games.

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Outrighted off the MLB roster by the Los Angeles Angels in October, infielder and former top prospect Carter Kieboom elected free agency back then. Then, in mid-January, the Cleveland Guardians signed him to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training.

The Guardians took a chance on the draft bust because, despite only logging eight plate appearances for the Angels in 2025, he hit a very solid .319/.368/.449 with nine homers and 11 stolen bases in 93 games for Triple-A Salt Lake. Additionally, he had some post-hype appeal, which gave Cleveland some hope of turning his career around.

Unfortunately, the Kieboom spring training was not a particularly successful one, and the Guardians sent him packing in a Saturday trade.

“Guardians have traded infielder Carter Kieboom to the Phillies for cash considerations. He will report to the Phillies’ minor league camp. Kieboom hit .160 (4 for 25) with one homer and five RBI in 16 games this spring,”

team insider Paul Hoynes posted on X.

Kieboom had a chance to win a roster spot in Cleveland, but he needed an explosive spring for the organization to consider giving him a bench spot. It’s safe to say that didn’t happen.

Kieboom struggled to take walks, highlighted by his 3.8 percent rate, and also struck out at an alarming 34.6 percent rate. In other words, pitchers did what they wanted against him, and he couldn’t adjust.

The Washington Nationals took Kieboom in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft, with big hopes of pairing him with the likes of Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto, and other up-and-coming members of the Nats’ core that won the World Series title in 2019.

Kieboom didn’t pan out, and currently owns a career 64 wRC+ and a negative fWAR of -2.1 in 136 games and 516 plate appearances. It happens sometimes, because baseball is highly unpredictable.

Some of these prospects light the world on fire upon arrival, while others take a year or two. You also have the late bloomers, and then the ones who flame out and don’t live up to the hype.

Now, he will try to make the Phillies, and Cleveland gets some cash to maneuver. Both teams and the rest of the league are slowly finalizing their rosters ahead of the opening week of baseball.

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One Last Chance for Gabriel Arias

Time to believe, one last time

by Quincy Wheeler

Mar 21, 2026, 1:01 PM CDT

Guardians fans will see Gabriel Arias as the team’s starting shortstop to begin 2026. How long will he stay there?

Readers of this blog may recall that I have been staunchly of the opinion that the Guardians should start Brayan Rocchio at short and let Travis Bazzana or Juan Brito try their hand at second base to begin 2026, allowing Arias and Daniel Schneemann to compete for the utility role. In over 1,000 major league plate appearances, Arias has a 76 wRC+. His defense at short - especially his bazooka of an arm - has been good. But Arias is 342nd in wRC+ out of 360 MLB hitters with 1,000 plate appearances or more since 2021. That is simply not good enough to hold a place in a major league lineup.

However, Arias is about to get one more shot at proving a Guardians’ front office that apparently loves him like I love Matt Festa a chance to show their unreasonable faith is justified. Partially this is because Juan Brito did not do anything to win the second base job this Spring, and partially it is because Bazzana has not quite been busting down the door to make his ML debut. But, I genuinely think the Guardians still have a sliver of hope for Arias to become a valuable major league. Let’s look at what reasons for hope they may have:

-Arias is only 26 years old.

This is, reasonably, the last year an Arias defender can point to his youth. 27 is generally acknowledged as the peak age for the average major league player and by 1,200 plate appearances, the conclusions to be drawn about the average major league hitter are pretty sticky. There are always exceptions and late breakouts. But, within the general bounds of logic, the team shouldn’t have any doubts about what kind of player Arias is by the end of May, if he is given regular plate appearances and doesn’t show marked improvement. Arias will be handed the full-time shortstop job and all the runway needed to keep it. So, he will have no excuse of having to fight for playing time.

-Arias has shown an improved ability to avoid chasing.

It is hard to know what to make of Spring Training stats, but Arias has always had three primary flaws as a hitter: 1. He chases bad pitches, 2. He hits too many groundballs, and 3. He whiffs too much in the zone. Numbers 2 and 3 on this list have remained true in Spring Training so far, but Arias has cut his chase rate 15% from his career average and his overall whiff rate by 3%, while hitting the ball as hard as he ever has (his only skill as a hitter). Can he sustain this? Very probably not. But if he can make a significant cut in chase and a minor cut in whiff, he would give himself a chance at a 90 wRC+, which would make him a roughly 3-win player with his fielding skills at short.

-Arias was an incredibly clutch hitter last season.

It is useless to read much into one season’s worth of situational data. With that said, Arias had a 182 wRC+ in high leverage situations last season. For a player whose attention has often seemed to wander, he showed the ability to lock in at crucial moments last year. It’s not repeatable but it can give players a sense of confidence and calm at the plate that can carry over. Arias has tried to move his hand position and stand closer to the plate this spring. Perhaps the adjustments and confidence can provide some intangibles to give him slight improvements to inch his offensive output up.

-Arias’s glove at short has the potential to be GOLD.

When Arias is focused, he is a great defender at short. When he isn’t focused, his arm is still strong enough to cover over a multitude of sins. Arias and Rocchio provided great defense for the Guardians down the stretch in 2025 and they will get a chance to do the same to begin 2026. Perhaps that familiarity and trust will enable Arias to grow into the potential we have all seen in him since day one.

I believe by June, we will see Brayan Rocchio at short and Travis Bazzana at second base. But, I’ll be rooting for Arias to prove me wrong and make the team look like geniuses for sticking with him this long. Either way, we are about to find out the answer to “how do you solve a problem like Gabriel?” very soon.

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Bazzana (GS, 5 RBIs), LaViolette (HR) put on Guards power display

38 minutes ago

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Travis Bazzana looks ready for the 2026 season to get underway.

Bazzana joined the Guardians’ starting lineup for Saturday’s 10-7 Cactus League loss to the Giants at Scottsdale Stadium and had a monster afternoon. The 23-year-old (who’s ranked Cleveland’s No. 1 prospect and No. 20 overall by MLB Pipeline) belted two home runs -- including a grand slam.

Bazzana’s first home run came against lefty Robbie Ray, a two-time All-Star and the 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner. His grand slam came off Trevor McDonald, the Giants’ No. 16 prospect.

“They're obviously two really successful and quality pitchers,” Bazzana said. “So it's always nice to win some battles against guys that have had really quality careers and are also currently succeeding. Obviously great, and I hope to continue that.”

The Guardians reassigned Bazzana (who will open the season with Triple-A Columbus) to Minor League camp on Thursday after informing him earlier in the week he would not make their Opening Day roster. It was an expected development given his limited experience in Triple-A, but Bazzana nonetheless made a strong impression during his time as a non-roster invitee in big league camp.

“It's like I told him,” manager Stephen Vogt said earlier this week. “‘Go play, go stay ready.’ We know this kid's going to help us a ton and win a lot of games. But again, he needs to go play and get everyday at-bats and continue to develop.”

In Saturday's matchup with the Giants, Ray struck out Bazzana in their first matchup, in the second inning. In the fifth, Bazzana crushed a 3-1 sinker from Ray over the right-field wall, driving it a Statcast-projected 372 feet with a 112.4 mph exit velocity.

Bazzana wasted little time in his next at-bat. His grand slam in the sixth came off an 0-1 sinker that McDonald threw on the inner half of the plate. It had a 102.5 mph exit velocity.

Bazzana has played in eight Cactus League games this spring; he enjoyed a memorable stint playing for Australia at the World Baseball Classic in Japan in between. Given his experience in that tournament, he felt like camp went fast, but has been nonetheless productive.

In eight games this spring through Saturday, Bazzana has hit .381 (8-for-21) with three homers, 11 RBIs and two walks with five strikeouts.

“I feel like I had really quality reps on defense and played how I would want to play out on the field,” Bazzana said. “I learned a lot, built some relationships with the staff in the Major Leagues, and feel like I got a lot out of the camp. I'm excited to move into the season.”

Bazzana only played 84 games in 2025 after missing close to two months in the first half of the season with a right oblique strain. That included 26 games with Columbus following his promotion from Double-A Akron on Aug. 11.

There’s wisdom to Bazzana opening the season with Columbus. But if he comes out of the gate swinging the bat well, the buzz around him being promoted to the Majors will only grow louder.

“Travis has done well,” Vogt said postgame Saturday. “He had a good camp with us. … We're excited to watch his season progress, and we know he can help us at some point.”

Jace LaViolette’s opportunities in Cactus League play have been extremely limited. But the Guardians’ 2025 first-round Draft pick made an impressive introduction Saturday.

LaViolette (who’s ranked as the Guardians’ No. 9 prospect by Pipeline) clobbered a solo home run in the ninth inning. The 22-year-old got a 96.9 mph four-seam fastball at the knees from right-hander Mitch White and hit it a Statcast-projected 425 feet. It had a 106.9 mph exit velocity.

The homer came in just LaViolette’s third at-bat in the Cactus League. He’s spent the bulk of this spring in Minor League camp ahead of his first professional season, in which he figures to begin with High-A Lake County.

Tim Stebbins covers the Guardians for MLB.com.

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3 Key Roles the Cleveland Guardians Quietly Locked In This Spring

The Guardians' coaching staff has locked down a few key roles for the lineup and pitching staff heading into the 2026 MLB regular season.

Cade Cracas

2 hours ago

This spring, the Cleveland Guardians have been focused on weeding out the prospects that aren't ready for big league time early in the 2026 campaign, while also establishing roles in the bullpen for new additions.

With the team looking to replicate the success they found in 2025, minus the bumps in the road, figuring out where players are best fit has been a priority.

Here are three key roles the Guardians' coaching staff was able to solidify heading into the upcoming season:

Chase DeLauter's an Everyday Bat

As long as he's healthy, DeLauter has a chance to be one of the Guardians' most exciting and impactful bats in the 2026 season.

This spring, he's been by far one of the most reliable hitters. Across 12 games and 33 at-bats, he has recorded a team-high 13 hits, four doubles and a home run for six total RBI. He also has kept a keen eye at the plate, something that is important for a player making the jump from the minors to the majors, with four walks to four strikeouts.

While he did deal with a small injury that kept him off the field for a few days, when he returned, he didn't lose a beat. He's currently slashing .394/.459/.606 for an OPS of 1.065.

His spot in the Guardians' lineup should see him as a starting outfielder, potentially right field, while also serving time as a designated hitter. This will allow the coaching staff to avoid wearing him down too much by being in the outfield each day, while also being able to keep his bat in the lineup on a near-daily basis.

Peyton Pallette's a Reliable Bullpen Arm

When spring training began, many began questioning the reliability of the Guardians' bullpen. After all, it's a mix of questionable, offseason signings and prospect arms, making it hard to see exactly what they would look like this year,

Well, while some fizzled themselves out of the picture, others, like Pallette, showed they deserve to be staples in the bullpen on the major league roster.

On Friday, March 20, it was announced that Pallette would make the Opening Day roster and get a chance to be one of the team's bullpen arms this season.

He earned it. Across five games played and six innings pitched, he's posted a 0.00 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, allowing just three hits and three walks while striking out an impressive mark of 11 batters. Out of most of Cleveland's relievers this spring, he's looked by far one of the sharpest.

His role will likely see him be a sixth or seventh-inning arm, allowing him to relieve whoever is starting on the mound before setting up the game-finishing arms.

"It was a relief," Pallette said when asked about what the opportunity to make the Opening Day roster means to him. "It's a dream come true. But also, there's still a job to do."

Shawn Armstrong is Cade Smith's setup

Armstrong was added to the Guardians' roster during the offseason, with the team needing to add another late-game arm to help alleviate pressure on players like Erik Sabrowski and Cade Smith to help close out every game.

The one-year deal, worth roughly $5.5 million, was a pretty good bargain for Cleveland, which was hoping not to break the bank.

Being a veteran as well, Armstrong's experience is going to help the Guardians out greatly. He's coming off a stellar season with the Texas Rangers in 2025, where he tossed a 2.31 ERA across 71 appearances. He had the second-best WHIP in MLB among pitchers who tossed in at least 50 innings of action.

Last year, he pitched most of the time in the eighth and ninth innings, making him a perfect late-game arm for the Guardians.

This spring, he's demonstrated reliability on the mound, something the Guardians needed to be sure of before they went into the campaign with trust in him to be the setup for Smith.

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This Cleveland Guardians Prospect Shined on the Mound in the Spring Breakout Game

Joey Oakie is one of the Guardians' top ranked prospects according to the MLB Pipeline, coming in at the No. 10 spot on the list.

Cade Cracas

Mar 20, 2026

The Cleveland Guardians decided to take Joey Oakie, fresh out of high school, with the No. 84 overall selection in the 2024 MLB June Amateur Draft.

And while, at first, and even for most of last season, many didn’t even blink at the sight or sound of his name, following Thursday night’s Spring Breakout game, plenty now will.

On Thursday, March 19, the Guardians' Spring Breakout team took on the Los Angeles Angels for a mid-afternoon matchup, with Cleveland coming out on top, 4-2. There were a few impressive moments throughout the game, and players who drew attention for their solid play, but not many looked as good as Oakie did.

Across 2.0 innings on the mound, he allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out three batters. He threw 34 total pitches, with 19 being strikes and over half of them being at least 97 miles per hour, flashing his pitch speed.

When asked about how impressive Oakie was, Guardians' Spring Breakout manager Erlin Cerda offered high praise.

“It's fun to see him,” said Cerda. “He was [around] 94, 95 [mph] last year, and then he just started getting up, getting up. That means he's doing what he needs to do to put himself in a really good position.”

Joey Oakie came in and showed off the heat. Ended u walking one and allowing a hit, but an impressive outing for the 19 year old. pic.twitter.com/E2wU9HPltH

— Justin L. (jlbaseball on bluesky) (@JL_Baseball) March 19, 2026

While spring training is often a chance for veterans and experienced players to get their feet under them, it also provides opportunities for players like Oakie to make a strong impression and put themselves firmly on the front office’s radar.

Oakie's Scouting Profile and High Praise

After being drafted right out of 12th grade, Oakie was quickly thrusted into professional baseball.

“It was a big learning curve,” Oakie said, who began his career in the Arizona Complex League before even turning 19. “It took me until halfway through the season to really get good routines and really understand how to use all those resources to my advantage. I feel like I'm in a better spot than I was at the start of last year.”

The Guardians' front office wasted no time in giving him a chance to showcase what he has to offer, pitching him in 18 games and nearly 60 innings last season.

Across six starts in Single-A with the Lynchburg Hillcats, he tossed a 2.22 ERA with a 1.315 WHIP, all while posting 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings. His WHIP was high due to a pretty high amount of walks, 5.5 per nine innings, but his hits allowed were just barely over six.

If he can hone in on his control, he'll be able to decrease his WHIP this season and allow fewer batters on base.

MLB Pipeline praised his pitching arsenal, highlighting a unique slider that few in his draft class could match.

"His mid-80s slider -- the righty's top knockout offering -- was one of the best in his Draft class and features two-plane depth and plenty of spin," his profile reads.


But what makes him such an intriguing arm doesn't just stop there, as the Pipeline also dove into his fastball and the growth it's made over time.

"His fastball sits 94-98 mph and actually improved in velocity over the year, which is impressive considering it declined over his final high school season," his profile reads. "He's working on a sinker to differentiate from the four-seamer, and his low release point helps give his changeup ample arm-side movement, although he still needs to work on its playability after barely using it in his debut season."

As long as Oakie continues to improve as a pitcher, especially since he's still not even 20 years old, he has a chance to become one of the Guardians' next league-altering arms.

"I'm really excited to get out there this year," Oakie said.

Heading into 2026, he's expected to play either Single-A or High-A ball with an opportunity to jump all the way up to Double-A if he dominates while on the mound.

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