Cleveland Sports Forum

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Guardians, with spring training officially opening Tuesday, have invited two more pitchers from their minor league system to big league camp.

Right-handers Mason Hickman and Jack Leftwich bring the total of non-roster invites to 22 to go along with Cleveland’s 40-man roster. Twelve of those non-roster players are pitchers, bringing the total to 31 pitchers in camp.

Hickman had an OK season in the Akron bullpen last year; previously had worked as a starter.
Hickman 25 year old 6-6 RH.
AKR EAS AA 4 4 3.95 54.2 46 27 24 9HR 32bb 71k .230 1.43whip 0.6 GO/AO

Leftwich had a very good 2022 at both Class A levels and was Keith Law's breakout surprise for 2023 and rated hm among his Cleveland top 10. His 2023 stats overall at Akron were not very good; Akron as an agressive promotion of a guy with his limited experience
Leftwich 25 year old 6-4 RH
AKR EAS AA 6 7 5.19 78.0 71 48 45 12HR 25bb 70k .243 1.23 0.95

HOWEVER: look at his monthly splits and it's a very different picture:
Here's his AVG/OBP/SLG/OPS by month
April 200/250/233/483
M:ay 329/380/658/1037 OOPS
June 182/222/455 677
July 237/310/316/626
August 229/291/314/605
Sept 208/278/375/653

Based on which in case we are choosing breakout perfomer of the year, with pitcher and position player not ranked among the top 30, I will tap Leftwich for my pitcher.

[I've probably chosen Johnathan Rodriguez for this multiple times and he finally rewarded my confidence last year]
[I'll have to think about another guy for position player; I believe I;m not returning to Isaiah Greene, one of the Lindor deal pickup]

A joke and a hack: J-Ram setting tone for Guardians' spring

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Hunter Gaddis was on his final pitch. The last person any pitcher would want to face in that situation is José Ramírez.

Ramírez popped up from the fence he was leaning against and headed toward the batter’s box with a smile on his face. He had been chirping back and forth with his close friend Myles Straw for the last half-hour during this live batting practice session. The two pick on each other like brothers, always trying to get the final jab.

In an instant, the grin faded into a concentrated stare toward the pitcher. Gaddis released his final pitch with a bit of a grunt as he unloaded his tank in this early spring workout. Ramírez didn’t hesitate.

With one swing of the bat, Ramírez laced a line drive that one-hopped the right-field fence. He pivoted out of the batter’s box and headed back toward the third-base dugout, as Straw manifested an “of-course-you-did” smile on his face.

This is what a typical day at Spring Training consists of: joking, laughing and on-the-field workouts. The difference with Tuesday is that it’s a week before official team practices are slated to begin.

Position players don’t need to be in the building until Saturday. Instead, nearly every person invited to big league camp was already at the facility on Tuesday afternoon like overly eager children excited for the first day of school.

At one point, Emmanuel Clase made his first appearance at the facility and Ramírez was excited to run away from third base and give him a hug. Austin Hedges walked down to the bullpen area and first base and catching coach Sandy Alomar Jr. couldn’t have had a bigger grin on his face, seeing Hedges back in Cleveland navy and red. Josh Naylor was like a kid at recess, screaming at the top of his lungs every time Tyler Freeman squared up a pitch during live batting practice.

Who needs to wait until the weekend to report to camp when you’re ready to get the 2024 season underway now?

“Everyone’s excited to get started,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “Players, coaches, staff, front office, me. We’re all excited to get going.”

These workouts are a little more casual until everything becomes full-throttle next week. But that doesn’t mean we don’t still learn things about the players. There are a handful of times each season when it becomes abundantly clear how impactful Ramírez is on this team. This week is one of them.

Aside from the fact that he needed all of one day to prove that his bat never collects dust over the offseason, his presence this early in camp is what’s irreplaceable. As the superstar player who signed the long-term extension and is an annual AL MVP candidate, Ramírez doesn’t need to be the guy who’s first to show up in camp, and yet, he always is. And for a roster that could be the youngest in baseball for the third consecutive year, that leadership is critical to guide the up-and-coming talent on how to be successful at the Major League level.

“It’s one thing for me to say something. It’s entirely different for Stephen [Vogt] to say something or a coach,” Antonetti said. “But all of that pales in comparison when another player, especially a star, elite, potentially Hall of Fame player, shares something with you. That carries a whole lot of things. And not just say things but set the example for how to do things. It means a lot and helps set the tone for our team.”

The Guardians have so many question marks entering this season. No one knows if the young talent will pan out. No one knows if the rotation can stay healthy to be the anchor to their success. No one knows how Vogt will handle the transition from player to manager. No one knows if Cleveland will contend in the AL Central.

If they want success, they need to have leaders, and Ramírez is once again proving from Day 1 that he can be a trusted one. He can smack a one-hopper off the outfield fence, or he can crack a joke about Straw that will have anyone within earshot laughing along to ease the tension like he did on Tuesday.After the ball clanked against the right-field wall, he made his José Ramírez strut back toward the dugout. In the middle of his stride, he realized Gaddis’ work for the day was done and quickly turned around, almost forgetting to acknowledge his teammate.

He yelled: “Good work, bro!”

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How's Jose's English these days. Wasn't too long ago all his interviews were through a translator.

Nothing in here none of us don't know. So skip it if you don't want to be bored.


It’s been the same narrative each season for the last three years: The Guardians are young, and with youth comes plenty of questions and uncertainty. But somehow this team has found a way to get even younger, creating even more questions.

The Guardians decided to stick with most of their internal talent, rather than tapping into the free-agent market or making blockbuster trades this winter. That means young outfielders may get their chance to make an impression in the big leagues. A 20-year-old infielder who has never played above Double-A may take a roster spot. And we still don’t know who will win the shortstop job.

There are going to be more than enough topics to keep your eyes on this spring. Now that camp is officially underway, here’s a look at three storylines I’ve picked to watch over the next six weeks.
Kyle Manzardo

Can Manzardo make the Opening Day roster?

The Manzardo vs. De Los Santos battle will be talked about the entire spring. And maybe there’s a way that Kyle Manzardo (Cleveland’s No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline) and Deyvison De Los Santos (No. 12) can both be on this Opening Day roster, but at this point that seems hard to believe.

Prior to the Guardians selecting 20-year-old De Los Santos in the Rule 5 Draft, it seemed plausible (maybe even probable) that Manzardo -- for whom the team traded Aaron Civale at last year’s Deadline -- could begin the year in the big leagues. The hope is that both his hit ability and the power potential he demonstrated in the Minors could translate in the Majors for a team that could use some flare in the middle of the order. Although the organization frets about young players playing in Cleveland in April and hurting their confidence, it wasn’t (and still isn’t) off the table that Manzardo could be in the mix from Day 1.

But with De Los Santos, who needs to remain on the active roster for the entirety of the season if the Guardians don’t want to offer him back to Arizona, in the picture, it’s hard to find room for both first basemen to get reps behind Josh Naylor. Long term, De Los Santos is quite intriguing for the Guardians. He’s a true power hitter -- the opposite of what this organization usually produces. It could be the type of bat this team has been looking for, but it will take time for him to continue to develop. And doing that in the big leagues will only be more challenging.
Steven Kwan

How will the outfield shake out?

We know Steven Kwan will be somewhere. We expect Ramón Laureano to at least be the fourth outfielder after Cleveland locked him up to a one-year deal to avoid arbitration early in the offseason. But then come the question marks.

Will Myles Straw show he’s made strides offensively this winter to earn his everyday role in center field? Can Will Brennan do enough to reclaim his spot in right field despite the young players who are now in the mix? Is it time to pass the baton to guys like George Valera and Johnathan Rodriguez? Do they just need a new face like Estevan Florial, who they got from the Yankees this winter?

The offensive production from the outfield, collectively, has been low the last few years. Kwan is a solid leadoff hitter, but there’s only so much he can do to carry the group’s numbers. The Guardians are looking for more pop from center and right field. It’s going to be one of the main focuses for the team over the next six weeks.
Xzavion Curry

Who will round out the bullpen?

Six of the potential eight names the Guardians will carry in the bullpen seem all but certain: Emmanuel Clase, Scott Barlow, Trevor Stephan, Sam Hentges, Nick Sandlin and Eli Morgan. Then, the Guardians will need to decide if Xzavion Curry is the best man to remain in the long-relief role or if he would be better as a sixth starter waiting in Triple-A if the Guardians would need it. Whatever role Curry gets, it’s likely Carlos Carrasco would fill the other.

That still leaves one spot, assuming the Guardians carry eight relievers on the Opening Day roster. Cade Smith can try to earn his first spot on the big league roster. James Karinchak will be fighting to demonstrate that his command struggles are a thing of the past. Will Tim Herrin throw himself back into the mix?

The Guardians have more questions to answer this spring than they have the last few years.

To me the idea that Curry might not make the team makes no sense at all. Yes it would be nice if Carrasco retires as a Guardian but one inning or one batter is enough from him before he hangs up his hat and glove unless he really looks good this spring; but Curry has done nothing to deserve a demotion.

As for Straw, why are we supposed to think he is the presumed starting CF? Florial is out of options and if they don't keep him on the roster he's certain to get picked up by another team. Straw is free to depart without many tears being shed or could be a nice defensive replacement but that's a luxury they could de without.
Brennan's 2023 hardly rates a presumption that he makes the team; they can option him out without fear of losing him. He has 3 minor league options. Reviewing his 2023 stats, even less impresive than his 5 homers and 24 doubles in 455 at bats is his anemic total of 16 walks. That kind of plate discipline cost Oscar Gonzalez his job;
Florial deserves clear priority over Brennan for an opening day roster spot based on potential upside and risk of losing him

Is it time to pass the baton to guys like George Valera and Johnathan Rodriguez? Give them the chance to show what they can do; but Valera has got worse each season and slipped down the prospects lists annually; hardly likely he can make the opening day roster. JRod at least has been on the upswing and has some power. Valera's offensive advantage is that he actually does take walks, although sometimes is insufficiently aggressive.

Guardians Announce 2024 Spring Training Depth Camp Roster

BY LOGAN POTOSKY SPORTS ILLUSTRATED CLEVELAND GUARDIANS NEWS, ANALYSIS AND MORE

UPDATED FEBRUARY 14, 2024 1:54 PM

The Cleveland Guardians will have 62 players participate in their 2024 Major League Spring Training Camp. Along with the team’s 40-man roster, Cleveland finalized its list of 22 non-roster invitees when it announced the additions of Minor League pitchers Mason Hickman and Jack Leftwich this past Tuesday, each of whom spent last season with Double-A Akron. On Wednesday, the Guardians announced a list of another 28 Depth Camp players who will also be working out with the team during its 2024 Spring Training.

ETHAN HANKINS, RHP Ethan Hankins was selected 35th overall by Cleveland in the 2018 MLB Draft out of high school. After undergoing Tommy John Surgery on his pitching elbow in May of 2021, the 23-year-old pitched in affiliated Minor League action last season for the first time since 2019. Hankins made 15 starts with High-A Lake County last year, going 1-7 with a 4.70 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, .224 opposing batting average, and an average of 9.78 strikeouts per nine innings.

TYLER THORNTON, RHP Tyler Thornton was one of the premier relief pitchers in the Guardians’ player development system last season. The 23-year-old made 40 relief appearances across High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron, going 5-1 with a 2.66 ERA, 79 strikeouts, 1.09 WHIP, and .138 opposing batting average. He also converted 10 of his 11 save opportunities en route to 2023 Organization All-Star honors.

KODY HUFF, C The Guardians acquired Kody Huff from the Colorado Rockies this past November in exchange for Cal Quantrill. The 23-year-old had a strong first full professional season last year, hitting .262 with 77 hits, 14 doubles, five home runs, 36 RBI, and a .731 OPS in 86 games for Single-A Fresno.

KAHLIL WATSON, SS/2B Cleveland acquired Kahlil Watson from the Miami Marlins this past August in the Josh Bell trade. The 20-year-old is currently ranked among the Guardians’ top prospects by both The Athletic (No. 10) and Baseball America (No. 22), while ending 2023 as MLB Pipeline’s 17th-ranked Cleveland prospect. In 81 High-A games across Beloit and Lake County last year, Watson hit .214 with 61 hits, 13 doubles, 12 home runs, 38 RBI, 25 stolen bases in 28 attempts, and a .714 OPS.

CHASE DELAUTER, OF Chase DeLauter is the Guardians’ top-ranked prospect by both Baseball America (No. 29 overall) and MLB Pipeline (No. 31 overall), and Cleveland’s third-ranked prospect by The Athletic (No. 81 overall). Despite playing just 57 games across the Arizona Complex League Guardians (rookie ball), High-A Lake County, and Double-A Akron, the 22-year-old was named a 2023 Organization All-Star. DeLauter hit .355 with 76 hits, 22 doubles, five home runs, 39 RBI, and a .945 OPS, while striking out just 30 times, and was eventually named a 2023 Arizona Fall League Fall Star.

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New Guardians Infielder Shows Off His Power Potential In Camp

By Andres Chavez February 14, 2024

The Cleveland Guardians made an investment for the future in December.

During the Rule 5 Draft, they took corner infielder Deyvison De Los Santos.

De Los Santos is a project: in reality, he needs more development time in the high minors.

However, since he has excellent power potential, the Guards could be willing to carry him on their roster for the entire season (otherwise, they would have to return him to his original team).

De Los Santos has been training like a man who wants to be a big leaguer, and frequently shows off his considerable power.

“Another day another bomb by #Guardians 20yr old INF prospect Deyvison De Los Santos out at the organizations Goodyear Development Complex. Hopefully it can carry over into spring training games and then the MLB season,” Guardians Prospective tweeted.

In 2023, De Los Santos hit .254/.297/.431 with 20 homers for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Double-A affiliate.

The best thing for his development would be spending some time in Triple-A learning to work more walks and improve his plate discipline overall.

However, the power-needy Guardians are willing to carry him with them to see if he can help provide some answers to their usually punch-less lineup.

Kyle Manzardo is believed to be the Guardians’ first baseman of the future, but there is a chance he enters the season in Triple-A if De Los Santos has a solid spring and wins a spot.

In any case, and as it usually happens, De Los Santos’ future with the organization will be decided by whether or not he can hit.

For him, however, it will have to be this year.

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That last group of invited guests to Spring Traning has very few "prospects". DeLauter of course. Maybe Watson. Huff as the Hedges of the Future
Thornton bullpen possibility. Sokolowski, maybe the same, he's been injured most of the time since signing but get lots of K's when he gets on the mound, was OK in Arizona Fall League

Guess I don't understand the purpose of those 28 guys in the "depth camp" working out with the other 62 guys in Major League camp.

90 people to keep track of.

We'll see lots of the "depth" guys get into Spring Training games for an inning or two. The total of 88 players is the full roster complement of Cleveland, Columbus, Akron and a good share of Lake County. I have read that each team has a limit of 165 players under contract

Why Manzardo could make noise at Spring Breakout

February 15th, 2024

Mandy Bell

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Think about the excitement that the annual Futures Game brings during the All-Star break and how fun it is to see Guardians prospects showcase their talents in a big moment. It allows fans to dream about the day these players are on the Major League roster.

Now, picture that type of game with a full roster of only Guardians prospects.

• Here's everything you need to know about Spring Breakout

Major League Baseball will be hosting its inaugural Spring Breakout games from March 14-17. On Thursday, it was announced that the Guardians, who will be playing against the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Ariz., on March 16, will be broadcast on MLB digital platforms (MLB app, MLB.com and MLB.TV) audio-only at 7:05 p.m. ET.

We won’t know the rosters until they’re released on March 7 at 11 a.m. ET on MLB Network, but Guardians prospects like Brayan Rocchio (Guardians No. 1), Kyle Manzardo (No. 2) and Chase DeLauter (No. 4) will be eligible to play considering they’re on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects list. And should Manzardo participate, he could be one to draw a crowd.

“He finished the season really strong in the Arizona Fall League,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “Hasn’t had a ton of at-bats just throughout his Minor League career, so he’ll continue to benefit by every at-bat he gets.”

Manzardo is a guy with tremendous hit ability and the potential to club 20+ homers in a season. He's the type of bat that the Guardians have been looking to plug into the middle of the order for the last few years. If he’s headlining this event, fans can see first-hand just how special he could be among the rest of the up-and-coming stars in their system.

“It’s gonna be fun,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “This game is getting younger and younger and there’s more excitement around young players than any other time, really. … I think it’s an exciting time for organizations to show the talent that’s coming, and we’ve got a lot of it.”

“It sounds like it’ll be really fun, a great opportunity for whoever gets to play in it,” Manzardo said.

Players are eligible to participate regardless of their Minor League level or experience, allowing there to be a mix of older and younger prospects to showcase their abilities in front of fans. No matter their age, each participant will be a highly ranked prospect in Cleveland’s system -- rankings Manzardo has learned to ignore.

“I would say I notice [my ranking], but I’m not like sitting around worrying about it or losing sleep about who puts me where on the list or whatever,” Manzardo said. “I don’t know, maybe three years ago or so maybe I worried a little bit more about that stuff, but nowadays I would say I’m just more focused on my own process and worrying about my own things I guess, more so than the list.”

If Manzardo is needed in the Majors for most of this season, he’ll soon be graduating from all of these lists. The most exciting part about the 23-year-old first baseman is that his arrival to the big leagues is not far away. There’s a possibility he cracks the Opening Day roster, and if not, it’d be shocking to make it through the summer without him already having his debut out of the way.

But in the midst of a roster battle in big league camp, he could have a chance to be a star of MLB’s marquee spring event. He can finally put last year’s shoulder injury and offensive struggles behind him and start the 2024 season on a positive note. And at the end of the year, he’s hoping to look back at the Spring Breakout game as the start of a healthy, exciting season.

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Guardians' teammates Gabriel Arias (left) and Brayan Rocchio, competing for the shortstop's job, go through spring training drills at the team's complex in Goodyear, Arizona on Friday.AP



GUARDIANS

10 Guardians who must answer the team’s burning question: The week in baseball

Updated: Feb. 17, 2024, 3:58 p.m.|Published: Feb. 17, 2024, 3:28 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Spring training is ready to start rolling.

The Guardians’ first full-squad workout is Tuesday. That means manager Stephen Vogt will have already delivered his first state-of-the-team address, one of a long list of checkpoints that need to be cleared before the regular season opens.

The first exhibition game, another such checkpoint, is Saturday against the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark.

Cleveland’s goal for this year is to find out who among its young players is ready to help win games in the big leagues. Chris Antonetti, president of baseball operations, said that was one of the reasons they didn’t sign free agents to help them rebound from last year’s 76-86 finish in the AL Central.

They want to give their own players the opportunity to succeed.

With that in mind here are the top 10 Guardians who need to provide the answers the team is looking for in the 2024 season:

No. 1. SS Gabriel Arias

His path was blocked last year by Amed Rosario until Rosario was traded to the Dodgers. Arias had the third-best outs above average ranking on the Guardians last year -- he played several different positions -- but there are big questions about his offense.

No. 2. C Bo Naylor

He lost at-bats to veterans Mike Zunino and Cam Gallagher in the first half of last season as he was brought along slowly at Class AAA Columbus. The job is his this year, and Naylor showed signs of being ready for the challenge by hitting .252 (37 for 47) with 10 of his 11 home runs after the All-Star break last year. He hit .304 (17 for 56) with four homers, 13 RBI and a 1.052 OPS in September.

No. 3. SS Brayan Rocchio

It will be interesting to see how the shortstop position is handled in spring training. Rocchio, a switch-hitter, is coming off a good winter ball season in Venezuela. He played only 26 games for the Guards last year, but was named Columbus’ Player of the Year after hitting .288 (131 for 468) with 33 doubles, six triples, seven homers and 65 RBI. He stole 25 bases in 32 attempts.

No. 4. SS/INF Tyler Freeman

The Guards’ second pick in the 2017 draft has tried to find a position over the last two years. Freeman played second, short and third last year and showed a knack for coming off the bench and being able to hit. He’s a .311 hitter in the minors.

No. 5. OF Will Brennan

Besides Steven Kwan in left field, the outfield is a mess. The opportunity for Brennan to step forward and take control in right field or center is there. Right now it looks like he’s slated for platoon duty at either spot. The Guards could show some patience here because Brennan hit .266 (115 for 432) last year as a rookie. There wasn’t a lot of production behind it -- .299 on-base percentage and a .356 slugging percentage -- but it was his first full year in the big leagues.

No. 6: RHP Tanner Bibee

One of three rookies to make 16 or more starts for the Guardians last year. Bibee went 10-4 with a 2.98 ERA and finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting. The question is: can Bibee become a mainstay of the rotation with Shane Bieber in his walk year and Triston McKenzie limited to four starts last season because of injuries?

No. 7: RHP Gavin Williams

The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Williams opened last season at Class AA Akron, but finished it making 16 starts and throwing 81 innings for the Guardians. Overall he struck out 162 batters in 142 1/3 innings in the minors and majors. Like Bibee, Williams is going to be tested to see if he can stay in the rotation all season.

No. 8: LHP Logan Allen

He completes the trio of rookies who kept the rotation afloat last year despite injuries to key veterans. Allen went 7-8 with a 3.81 ERA in 24 starts. He struck out 119 and walked 48 in 125 1/3 innings. Lefties hit just .205 against Allen, while righties hit .274 with 14 homers.

No. 9: 1B Kyle Manzardo

Josh Naylor should get most of the time at first base, but there’s an opening at DH. There’s no reason Naylor and Manzardo, in camp as an invitee, couldn’t share the two positions. Manzardo was acquired from the Rays just before the deadline last year when he was on the injured list. He played well in the Arizona Fall League, but hit just .161 (8 for 112) against lefties during the minor league season.

No. 10: 1B-3B/DH Deyvison De Los Santos

Cleveland selected him in the Rule 5 Draft in December from Arizona. De Los Santos, 20, a right-handed hitter, hit 20 homers last year at Class AA. He could back up Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor at the corners and DH. He must be kept on the 26-man roster or returned to the Diamondbacks.

That’s 10, but there are other players the Guards must evaluate.

Jhonkensy Noel and Jonathan Rodriguez combined to hit 56 homers last season in the minors. On a team that finished last in the big leagues in homers that should draw some consideration.

Switch-hitter Juan Brito, acquired from the Rockies for Nolan Jones, will be in his second big league camp. He played at three different levels last season, slashing .271/.377/.434 with 14 homers and 78 RBI.

The bullpen is crowded, but right-hander Cade Smith and lefty Tim Herrin had big years in the minors. Smith was a combined 5-3 with a 4.02 ERA and 15 saves in 17 chances at Akron and Columbus. He struck out 95 and walked 28 in 62 2/3 innings. Herrin, who opened the season with the Guardians, went 7-2 with a 3.38 ERA at Triple-A with three saves and 63 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings.

Outfielder George Valera had trouble staying healthy last season, but he has the kind of pop that could help the Guardians at some point this year.

The only way the Guardians can consistently compete is through their farm system. They’ve invested a lot of money and time on it. Recently there have been miscalculations -- the trades of Jones, Will Benson, catcher Yainer Diaz and Junior Caminero -- perhaps because of that, they want to take a closer look at who can and can’t play among their own players.

To give those players, as Antonetti said, “more of a runway.”

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Cleveland Guardians' Top Reliever Dealing with Slight Injury at Outset of Spring Training

Cleveland Guardians' pitchers and catchers are at spring training but reliever James Karinchak isn't throwing yet because of shoulder fatigue.

BRADY FARKAS

Feb 17, 2024 6 HOURS AGO

Cleveland Guardians' pitchers and catchers are at spring training right now but reliever James Karinchak isn't throwing yet because he's experiencing shoulder fatigue.

Per a report from MLB.com:

Karinchak will be on a slower schedule than the rest of the pitchers and catchers who reported to camp on Feb. 13 due to fatigue in his throwing shoulder. He will not throw for the first few days of workouts, and the team hopes he can begin his throwing program shortly thereafter. (Last updated: Feb. 15)

Alright, so it's not time to panic or anything, but this at least bears monitoring. Karinchak is heavily relied upon in that Guardians' bullpen and they need him to be healthy if they want to surprise people under first-year manager Stephen Vogt.

The 28-year-old made his major league debut in 2019 and has appeared in Major League games in each of the last five years. He appeared in 60 games back in 2021, 38 games in 2022 and 44 games a season ago. Lifetime, he's 12-11 with a 3.10 ERA.

He went 2-5 with a 3.23 in 2023 and serves as one of the set up options for superstar closer Emmanuel Clase.

The Guardians finished third in the American League Central a season ago and are going through a period of transition with Vogt taking over for longtime manager Terry Francona. Furthermore, the Guardians have several young pitchers they are working into prominent roles including Tanner Bibbe and Logan Allen.

The Guardians open the season on March 28 at the Oakland Athletics.

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