GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The roots of every baseball fan’s passion for the game can be traced back to a team or players whom they admired. During my childhood, two of those guys were CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee.

Sabathia and Lee were unique among my favorites, considering I was born and raised in Chicago and grew up watching the Cubs and White Sox. But it was easy to be drawn to the 2007 and ‘08 AL Cy Young Award winners, whose windups I would emulate in my family’s living room.

That’s a long-winded way of saying I admired Cleveland baseball from afar. With that, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tim Stebbins, and I will begin covering the Guardians for MLB.com this season. My first day at Spring Training is Monday, and I can’t wait to get started.

I’m coming to Cleveland after five years of covering baseball in Chicago, including the Cubs for three seasons, before I joined MLB.com in 2023. Over the past two campaigns, I’ve pinch-hit for our talented team of reporters in Chicago and Milwaukee, covering 25 teams over that span.

Coincidentally, that did not include the Guardians. Of course, Cleveland fans have been in great hands, most recently with reporter Mandy Bell -- who has transitioned to a new role with MLB’s youth content department after a stellar six-season run on the beat. Mandy followed Cubs beat reporter Jordan Bastian (a mentor of mine), and Jordan followed Anthony Castrovince (a staple of MLB.com’s coverage since 2004).

I know I have big shoes to fill, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to follow in their steps.

One of the beautiful things about baseball is the storylines that continuously develop over the course of a season, from Spring Training through September and beyond. My goal is to cover the topics that fans care about and that connect them to the team they are passionate about. I hope you ultimately find that reflected in my work, for which I care deeply.

I’ve been to Ohio (and I’m a stout Buckeyes supporter), but I’ve never been to Cleveland. If you have any recommendations, or if you would like to follow along this season, I am on X and Bluesky.

For now, let’s play ball.






NEW TOP 30 PROSPECTS LIST ON THE WAY




MLB Pipeline is set to unveil each team’s Top 30 Prospects list for the 2025 season this coming week. Be on the lookout for the Guardians’ new rankings, which are set to go live on Tuesday. Pipeline’s overall Top 100 ranking was unveiled in January, and it featured four Cleveland prospects: second baseman Travis Bazzana (No. 10), outfielders Chase DeLauter (No. 36) and Jaison Chourio (No. 60), and infielder Angel Genao (No. 62).

Bazzana, Chourio and Genao are in Arizona this spring as part of the Guardians’ depth camp roster, and DeLauter is in Major League camp as a non-roster invitee. Bazzana, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, recorded an early Cactus League highlight on Tuesday when he hit a three-run homer against the Brewers.

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Guardians 2B Candidate Off To Strong Start During Spring Training

Originally posted on Cleveland Guardians on SI

By Tommy Wild | Last updated Mar 2, 2025 11:20 AM ET

The Cleveland Guardians' second base battle would always be one of the most interesting parts of spring training. This remains true even with the team two weeks into Cactus League games.

While there's still plenty of time before Opening Day, one player is making a strong impression with his promising start to the spring.

Tyler Freeman was used as an outfielder and a utility player during the 2025 season, but Stephen Vogt mentioned last Thursday that he has not been ruled out as a candidate to be the team's second baseman.

"Tyler's played a lot of second base in his career, and we know he can do it very well," said Cleveland's skipper.

Freeman came up through the organization as a middle infielder and has made two starts there this spring.

It's still early, and it wouldn't be fair to other candidates to deem Freeman that frontrunner for the second base job, but what he's doing on offense also can't be ignored.

In just seven at-bats, Freeman is currently hitting .571/.700/1.000 in four games.

Some of the positives we can take away from these numbers are that Freeman is hitting the ball extremely hard, has already recorded three doubles, and has only struck out once.

Freeman has always had fantastic plate awareness and made solid contact, but the quality of his contact has hurt his overall production.

So far, it appears he's putting a higher emphasis on quality of contact, and it's paying off.

Gabriel Arias and Juan Brito can't be counted out just yet, but if Cleveland is looking to fill second base by riding the hot bat, Freeman is certainly making a strong first impression to start the season on the right side of the middle infield.

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I think Cecconi would like to start this day all over again.

1.2 INN, 6H, 7R, 6ER, 2W, 1K, 1HR

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Bieber's confidence 'at an all-time high,' on schedule for return

By Steve Stockmar

17 minutes ago

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Losing staff ace Shane Bieber for 2024 to Tommy John surgery was an emotional punch to the pitching staff as well as to the clubhouse psyche last April. But there is promising news on the horizon.

Bieber threw his fourth bullpen session Feb. 28, and has progressed to throwing five days per week. He’s also extending his throwing distance to 135 feet. Bieber had a day off from throwing Sunday.

“The ball’s just jumping out of his hand,” Willis said. “I think it’s a testament to Shane Bieber and him knowing his delivery. We’re excited what we’re seeing now, but we’re still trying to make sure we stay the course and don’t jump the gun.”

The former Cy Young winner, who won the AL Pitching Triple Crown in 2020, remains on schedule to return to the field sometime this summer.

It’s not just his mechanics that look good, Albernaz also notes that Bieber’s “confidence is at an all-time high.”

“His ’pens have been right where he needs to be,” Albernaz said. “Free and easy delivery, power in the strike zone. His velocity is there, too, which is nice to see. Right now at every turn, every checkpoint, he’s answered the bell.”

In December, Bieber agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal with the Guardians for 2025 that includes a $16 million player option for 2026 ($4 million buyout). That means it’ll either be a $14 million one-year deal or a $26 million two-year deal, if Bieber exercises the option.

Guardians not ready to make cuts in camp

A look around MLB this weekend sees some teams starting to announce roster cuts about one-third of the way through Spring Training games. The Guardians aren’t there yet, but pitching coach Carl Willis put it succinctly around the complex on Sunday.

“It’s easy to say it’s early, but Opening Day is 25 days away,” said the man currently in his 42nd Spring Training.

Fresh off a long season that went deep into the ALCS this past fall, the Guardians opened camp with 66 players in Goodyear. Those roster reduction conversations are “always happening,” says associate manager Craig Albernaz, who met with the media in place of Stephen Vogt, who is attending his daughter’s softball tournament here in the Valley of the Sun. But it’s too early yet for the Cleveland clubhouse.

“As far as a tentative date [for cuts], we’re not there yet. We’re still talking through playing time. You want to make sure that you have enough bodies to supplement the other guys coming back in the game and that you’re not overworking your guys,” Albernaz said. “We kind of foresee some moves happening, but nothing immediate.”

Runs coming late

Sure it’s early and, yes, there is an old saying about “Spring Training outs,” where players have successful at-bats without it showing up in the box score. Take José Ramírez. On Friday, the slugger hit three balls on the screws, but went 0-for-3 for some quality trips to the plate camp-wise.

Still, after eight games, trends can show up.

The Guardians have shown a predilection for scoring their runs late in ballgames in Arizona. Consider that in their past five games (entering Sunday) 14 of their 19 runs have come in the seventh, eighth or ninth innings, including all four runs in Saturday’s loss to the Cubs.

No worries about a lack of crossing the plate in earlier frames, says Albernaz.

“For our guys, it’s all about feel. How they feel in the box, are they moving the right way?” he said. “The timing component is the biggest thing and that’s gonna come.”

If nothing else, the early Spring trend shows that those younger players coming into ballgames late are showing what they can do.

“As far as the back-end guys, it just shows the great job our [player development] staff did with our young guys coming up,” Albernaz noted. “It’s good to see those guys come in and take advantage of the opportunity.”

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Guardians offense gets on track in 12-12 spring training tie against Brewers

Published: Mar. 02, 2025, 6:46 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Guardians hitters got their offense rolling in the first inning, and prospects from Cleveland’s depth camp caused some drama late Sunday as the Guards played Milwaukee to a 12-12 tie in a spring training exhibition game at Goodyear Ballpark.

The Brewers took a 12-8 lead into the ninth before late-inning substitutes Jorge Burgos and Milan Tolentino sparked a rally with back-to-back home runs off Brewers righty Garrett Stallings.

Burgos' two-run home run followed a Kody Huff walk and was his second of the game. Tolentino’s solo drive upped his RBI total to three in the last three games.

The game featured 28 hits between the two teams and five home runs with the aid of a stiff wind blowing out to left field.

Guardians hitters scored four times in the first inning against Brewers lefty Thomas Pannone, but Milwaukee answered with five runs of their own in the top of the second and led for most of the afternoon.

Cleveland’s offense roughed up Pannone as seven of the first eight Guardians batters reached base. Lane Thomas delivered three runs with a bases-loaded double in the first, and Will Brennan scored Thomas with a sharp RBI single to center for his first spring hit.

Pannone, who was drafted by Cleveland in 2014 and traded to Toronto in 2017 in exchange for Joe Smith, re-entered in the second inning but exited again after Carlos Santana singled to cap a six-pitch at-bat. Pannone appeared to injure himself making an attempt to field Santana’s grounder as it was headed toward center field.

For the second consecutive game a Cleveland starter making a bid for a spot in the rotation was roughed up by opposing hitters. Slade Cecconi surrendered seven runs, including six earned runs on six hits and a pair of walks with one strikeout. Cecconi retired just five of the 14 batters he faced in three innings.

Cecconi breezed through the first with a strikeout, but ran into trouble in the second, allowing a Sal Frelick two-run home run to left after Mark Canha opened the inning with a walk. Joey Ortiz later tripled and scored on a ground out by Manuel Margot.

Bryce Turang knocked Cecconi out of the game with a fly ball to center that Petey Halpin misplayed into a two-base error. Magnus Ellerts allowed Turang to score on a wild pitch that put Milwaukee in front, 5-4.

For the second consecutive game a Cleveland starter making a bid for a spot in the rotation was roughed up by opposing hitters. Slade Cecconi surrendered seven runs, including six earned runs on six hits and a pair of walks with one strikeout. Cecconi retired just five of the 14 batters he faced in three innings.

Cecconi breezed through the first with a strikeout, but ran into trouble in the second, allowing a Sal Frelick two-run home run to left after Mark Canha opened the inning with a walk. Joey Ortiz later tripled and scored on a ground out by Manuel Margot.

Bryce Turang knocked Cecconi out of the game with a fly ball to center that Petey Halpin misplayed into a two-base error. Magnus Ellerts allowed Turang to score on a wild pitch that put Milwaukee in front, 5-4.

Burgos opened the seventh with a solo home run off Brewers reliever Easton McGee. Burgos split last season between High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron and hit 18 home runs while driving in 57.

Ex-Cleveland prospect Raynel Delgado, who signed with Milwaukee in November as a minor league free agent, finished with a pair of hits including a two-run home run off Mason Hickman in the eighth. Delgado was a sixth round draft pick of Cleveland in 2018 out of high school.

The Guardians recorded their first tie in spring training play and now have a 2-7-1 record. The Brewers are 5-5-1.

Next: Right-hander Luis Ortiz (0-1, 40.50) makes his second start as the Guardians travel to the Peoria Sports Complex to face the Mariners. Righty Luis Castillo (1-0, 0.00) will start for Seattle. First pitch is set for 3:10 p.m. WTAM 1100 am and the Guardians Radio Network will carry the contest.

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Nikhazy making a strong bid to make Opening Day roster

7:20 PM CST

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- With rotation candidates starting to get multiple appearances under their belts – third starts for some this coming week -- lots of names are in the mix until Shane Bieber returns this summer.

Among the young pitchers with something to prove is Doug Nikhazy.

The 25-year-old lefty who was Cleveland's No. 25 prospect in 2024 is making a bid to secure an Opening Day roster spot after a phenomenal run in Triple-A in 2024. The former second-round Draft pick went 7-3 with a 2.87 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) with Columbus, yielding 51 hits in 75-plus innings.

In two relief appearances this spring, he’s thrown four hitless innings with one walk and four strikeouts. Although he hasn’t appeared in the Majors yet, he’s close to those Opening Day roster conversations.

“It’s extremely close for him,” pitching coach Carl Willis said Sunday. “I would say in my mind it’s not that far convoluted that he could be a bullpen option for us coming out of camp.”

Nikhazy had a small taste of the big leagues last fall.

With a week between the end of the regular season and the ALDS, Nikhazy and righty Nic Enright were invited to Progressive Field to keep the batters sharp during the layoff. The stadium was empty, but speakers pumped in loud crowd noise to create atmosphere.

The instructions were simple: Don’t throw inside, but definitely bring your best stuff.

“It was super cool,” Nikhazy recalled. “Great experience.”

While the hitters were the ones in playoff mode, the young pitchers were the ones turning heads.

“These guys treated it like a game and they went out and pitched like it was a game,” Willis said. “It was eye-catching, both the velocity, the control and command and the ability to throw multiple pitches.”

Nikhazy’s walk ratio was a concern early in his pro career with a WHIP as high as 2.68 in Double-A in 2022. He retooled his delivery to throw less from over the top and more from a lower arm slot. Suddenly, his pitches were finding the zone and hitters were more apt to swing.

Between Double-A and Triple-A, his WHIP dipped to 1.09 in '24 and hitters were batting .192 off him. He even threw a shutout in Triple-A in June.

No Guardians pitchers threw a shutout in 2024, or even a complete game for that matter.

“I just holistically found a way to decrease the walk rate. Obviously, throwing the ball in zone more, but also throwing balls in better positions that guys are gonna swing,” Nikhazy said. “It made a huge difference.”

While a starting role in the Majors may not be the first option for Nikhazy, the Guardians have no shortage of options.

One of the newest arms in Cleveland, righty Slade Cecconi, struggled in his first Spring starting opportunity Sunday in Cleveland's 12-12 tie with Milwaukee at Goodyear Ballpark.

Arriving via the December trade with the D-backs for first baseman Josh Naylor, Cecconi enjoyed a perfect first inning on just 11 pitches. Location was a problem after that.

“Command was not there. I went away, away, away to all those righties and let them lean out over the plate and catch some pitches out front,” said Cecconi, who allowed seven runs (six earned) on six hits in 1 2/3 innings. “I didn’t have my best stuff.”

The former first-round Draft pick with Arizona brings an upper-90s fastball with quality secondary pitches, and in his first spring outing on Feb. 24, he debuted a sinker and cutter. He came into camp competing for a rotation spot or a spot in the bullpen.

Tanner Bibee is a lock for the rotation come Opening Day. Gavin Williams, Ben Lively and Kolby Allard are contenders, followed by young starters Triston McKenzie, Logan Allen, Luis Ortiz and Joey Cantillo.

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Jorge Luis Burgos




ST Game Recap: Brewers 12 - Guardians 12

This would have been a fun one to watch.

By Nicole_W22 Mar 2, 2025, 6:41pm EST 0 Comments / 0 New

Of course this Cleveland Guardians Spring Training game was not video broadcasted nor did the WTAM crew get to call this game.

Slade Cecconi started the game with a strong 1-2-3 top of the first. His fast ball topped out at 96.5 mph, but the top of the second wasn’t as successful. His final line reads 1.2 IP, 6 H, 7R (6ER), 2BB, and only 1K.

Cleveland offense jumped at the low velo fastball from Brewers LHP Pannone. In the bottom of the first, Carlos Santana hit a one-out single to short. José reached on a fielders choice, while Santana advanced to 2nd on a fielding error. Bo singled, advancing the runners and loading the bases. Lane Thomas, on the first pitch, hit a 3-run double to left. Will Brennan singled to left, scoring Lane and advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch. Brayan Rocchio singled to left, advancing Brennan to 3rd then Rocchio stole 2nd. Brito drew a walk to load the bases again, but the scoring ended there for this inning. Petey Halpin struck out and Steven Kwan (who led off this inning) lined out for the third out.

Santana ended his day going 2-for-4.

Lane drew a walk and scored off a Rocchio double bringing his final to 1-for-3 with 2R, 3RBI, and 1BB.

Will Brennan predictably went 3-for-3 with 1R and 1RBI. All three hits were over 105 mph off the bat. It never fails that the moment Quincy gives pointed, but fair and valid, criticism, Brennan flips the switch and is back to sitting at or above average.

Rocchio continued to look dominant, now hitting .500 in Spring Training. He went 2-for-3 with 2RBI. I am becoming emotionally invested in Rocchio and truly hope playoff Rocchio was just the start.

Its hard to say, without video, if Bo scoring from first on a double is worth celebrating. I am choosing to hope this is an indicator that Bo will be a menace on the basepath this season.

Petey Halpin had a rough day, committing a fielding error on a routine fly ball and going 0-for-3.

Magnus Ellerts looked solid, finishing the top of the 2nd with a strikeout and a ground out.

Vince Velasquez did some long relief, throwing 3.0 innings. He gave up two runs on four hits and walked a batter, but he struck out three.

The kids didn’t want to be outdone in the bottom of the 9th. Kody Huff lead off with a walk which was followed promptly by a 2-run HR to center from Jorge Burgos. His second of the game in as many plate appearances. Milan Tolentino couldn’t be left out and hit a HR of his own at a towering 455 feet. Kahlil Watson hit a 1-out single, prompting the Brewers to make another pitching change. With two outs, Micah Pries singled to left field, scoring Watson and tying the game.

Final Score:

Brewers 12 - Guardians 12

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Defense dampens Emmanuel Clase’s spring debut as Guardians fall to Mariners, 7-2

Updated: Mar. 03, 2025, 5:41 p.m.|Published: Mar. 03, 2025, 5:34 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The result might not have been typical of an Emmanuel Clase outing on Monday, but the stuff was sensational as the Guardians' All-Star closer made his spring training debut in Cleveland’s 7-2 loss to the Mariners at Peoria Sports Complex.

Clase allowed a run on two hits with a walk in 2/3 of an inning, striking out a pair. He did not get much help from his defense as Dominic Canzone’s RBI double in the fourth turned center fielder Angel Martinez around before landing on the warning track. The misplay allowed Rowdy Tellez to score from second on a close play at the plate, tying the score at 2-2.

Before the game, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said he was looking forward to seeing Clase compete again after spending the first three weeks of camp throwing batting practice on the back fields at Cleveland’s Goodyear training complex.

“He looked bored in his last live BP,” Vogt said. “He just wants to go pitch in a game, so we just expect him to see Emmanuel go out and throw strikes and do what he does. He just loves to pitch.”

Clase landed 12 of his 21 pitches for strikes and sat around 98 mph with his cutter.

Cal Raleigh put Seattle in front, 3-2, with a pinch-hit solo home run off ex-teammate Paul Sewald in the fifth. Sewald, making his second appearance of the spring for Cleveland, pitched for the Mariners with Raleigh as his catcher in 2022 and 2023. He struck out Tellez on a sweeper to complete his outing

Luis Ortiz, tabbed for a spot in Cleveland’s rotation, avoided the second start struggles that plagued Slade Cecconi and Joey Cantillo in back-to-back outings over the weekend. Ortiz, who allowed six runs on six hits in his spring debut against Milwaukee on Feb. 25, worked out of trouble after a leadoff double by Victor Robles in the first, and gave up a run in the second on a two-out double by Canzone and an RBI single by Cade Marlow.

Cleveland took a 2-1 lead in the third on solo home runs by Johnathan Rodriguez and Daniel Schneemann off Seattle starter Luis Castillo. It was the first home run and first extra-base hit of the spring for Rodriguez. Schneemann, who reached base three times including a walk, added a base hit off Eduard Bazardo in the fifth.

Ortiz returned for the third and had his best inning, retiring the side in order, including a strikeout of Mitch Garver to end his afternoon.

Lefty Will Dion allowed a run on three hits in two innings as Miles Mastrobuoni singled to score Lazaro Montes who had doubled to open the seventh. But Dion bounced back to strike out the final three batters he faced, including Raleigh swinging at a changeup.

Martinez picked up his first spring hit in 12 at-bats with a single in the seventh. Gabriel Arias, Kyle Manzardo and Jhonkensy Noel also collected hits for the Guardians.

Seattle added a pair of runs in the eighth when Mason Hickman loaded the bases by allowing a double and three walks. Hickman forced home a run with a walk to Montes before Mastrobuoni picked up his second hit of the day, a two-run single off Guardians lefty Andrew Misiaszek.

Cleveland slipped to 2-7-1 in Cactus League play. The Mariners are 5-7.

Next: The Guardians return to Goodyear Ballpark on Tuesday to face the Angels in a 3:05 p.m. ET start. Right-hander Gavin Williams (0-0, 0.00) will make his second start for Cleveland, while righty Jack Kochanowicz (0-0, 4.50) takes the mound for Los Angeles. WTAM 1100 AM and the Guardians Radio Network will carry the game.

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ST Game Recap: Mariners 7, Guardians 2

-Luis Ortiz looked better but still got tagged a couple times. He struck out two and allowed three hits and a run in three innings.

-Johnathan Rodriguez and Daniel Schneemann both hit home runs off of Luis Castillo. The wind helped but both were well-struck.

-Angel Martinez, Gabriel Arias, Jhonkensy Noel, and Kyle Manzardo added singles. Noel also had an 114 mph lineout.

-Yordys Valdes hit a double.

-Emmanuel Clase gave up a couple lucky hits and struck out two in his spring debut.

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Gavin Williams strikes out six as Guardians ground Angels for 8-1 spring training win

Updated: Mar. 04, 2025, 6:15 p.m.|Published: Mar. 04, 2025, 5:43 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The gas tank can empty in a hurry for pitchers during spring training outings. Starters who are trying to stretch out and build up their innings can see Cactus League appearances go from brilliant to beleaguered in a matter of one or two batters.

Gavin Williams threw heat at the Angels for two innings Tuesday, striking out six of the first eight batters he faced. But by the time Williams came out for the third, fatigue had set in, and Williams' afternoon ended ahead of schedule as the Guardians picked up an 8-1 exhibition win against Los Angeles at Goodyear Ballpark.

It’s totally understandable. Pitch count is more important than results at this point in camp. But the Gavin Williams that was on the mound for the first two innings is the one Cleveland needs to see more of in 2025.

Williams threw 51 pitches, including 31 strikes, hitting 98-95 mph with his fastball and around 86 mph with his slider in his second spring start. He allowed a leadoff double to Kyren Paris in the third and an RBI single to Nelson Rada before Trenton Denholm replaced him to get the final two outs of the frame.

Guardians hitters struggled to break through early against Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz, who worked in and out of trouble through three scoreless innings with a strikeout. José Ramírez and Kyle Manzardo reached on back-to-back singles in the first, but Carlos Santana and Lane Thomas grounded out to end the scoring threat.

Kochanowicz allowed a leadoff double to Will Brennan in the second, but after Brennan advanced to third on a fly out by Bo Naylor, he was thrown out trying to score on a ground ball off the bat of Gabriel Arias.

Brennan added a base hit in the fourth and stayed in the game after a brief visit on the bases from manager Stephen Vogt and trainers. He was replaced by Johnathan Rodriguez in right field for the top of the fifth for precautionary reasons with lower back tightness.

With Chase DeLauter sidelined by sports hernia surgery earlier in the day, Brennan has a clear opportunity to seize a spot on the opening day roster.

Guardians hitters rocked Angels top prospect Caden Dana in the sixth, scoring four times including RBI singles by Lane Thomas and Bo Naylor and an RBI sacrifice fly off the bat of Rodriguez. Dana threw just 21 pitches and recorded one out before he was removed in favor of Darrell Hicks.

Hicks uncorked a wild pitch on a swinging third strike by Angel Martinez that allowed pinch-runner Kahlil Watson to score from third and gave Cleveland a three-run advantage.

Thomas has driven in a team-high seven runs in his six games and has a 1.015 OPS this spring.

Dana re-entered in the seventh and gave up three more runs including an RBI double to Will Wilson and a two-run home run to Yordys Valdes. It was the second spring home run for Valdes, whose three Cactus League hits have all gone for extra-bases.

Logan Allen, making his third appearance, worked three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a walk. Allen turned things over to Guardians bullpen mainstays Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and Tim Herrin to close out the afternoon.

Smith allowed a one-out triple to Angels top draft pick Christian Moore, but stranded the runner at third when he fielded a smash back to the mound by Juan Flores for the second out, and Valdes ran down a pop to shallow left off the bat of Gustavo Campero with a sliding catch to save a run.

Gaddis allowed a pair of hits, but worked out of trouble in the eighth thanks to a double play turned by Martinez and Valdes and a strikeout of David Mershon.

Herrin allowed a leadoff bloop single to Sam Brown, but recorded a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless ninth.

Jhonkensy Noel picked up his first spring home run when he drove a fastball from Samy Natera 386 feet into the Guardians' bullpen in left. Noel is hitting .235 with seven strikeouts in 17 spring at-bats.

The Guardians improved their Cactus League record to 3-7-1, while the Angels slipped to 5-6-1.

Next: The Guardians are off Wednesday. They return to the field at Goodyear Ballpark on Thursday at 8:05 p.m. ET when they face the Diamondbacks. Right-hander Tanner Bibee will make his Cactus League debut. Arizona has not announced a starter. Other pitchers scheduled to appear for Cleveland include Emmanuel Clase, Kolby Allard, Doug Nikhazy, Ryan Webb and Zak Kent.

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ST Game Recap: Angels 1 - Guardians 8

Gavin Williams? More like Gavin WillHIMs.

By Nicole_W22 Mar 4, 2025, 6:25pm EST 0 Comments / 0 New

Gavin Williams consistently hit 98mph again and had a 2nd outing just as impressive as his first. In the 2nd inning he allowed a single and hit the following batter. He worked out of it perfectly, striking out the remaining 3 batters while showing fantastic command of his fastball. Gavin finished the day with 2.1IP, 3H, 1R, 1BB, 6Ks in 51 pitches.

José had a stereotypical Josey AB seeing 8 pitches before hitting a single to center on the 9th pitch.

Will Brennan hit a double down the LF foul line then took 3rd with some aggressive base running. He was thrown out at home after running on contact, but Spring Training is the time to practice that timing and speed. During his second AB, he followed up with a bit of a bloop single to RF. It wasn’t fielded cleanly by the Angels defense allowing Brennan to reach. However the trainer made a visit to Brennan and he was pulled for the top half of the 5th inning. Reports are indicating that he was removed with lower back tightness, but Jim Rosenhaus did state on the radio broadcast that Brennan was in the dugout and not being attended to for the remainder of that inning.

With the DeLauter news, we will have to hope that Brennan can stay healthy and that his performance these last two games is indicative of what he’s able to bring come March 27th.

Logan Allen went three innings allowing 2H, 1BB, and striking out 2 and earned the win.

In the bottom of the 6th, the offense popped off. Lane Thomas hit an RBI single, Johnathan Rodriguez’s sac fly scored Kyle Manzardo, and Bo Naylor added his own RBI single. Angel Martínez put up a 7 pitch AB that resulted in a strike out that somehow resulted in Bo stealing 2nd, advancing to 3rd, and Kahlil Watson scoring.
In the bottom of the 7th, Will Wilson hit an RBI double and Yordys Valdes made the score 7-1 Guards with homer to center.

Scoring would be capped off with non-other than a towering Jhonkensy Noel homer to left center.

Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, and Tim Herrin all got some work in today. Surprising no one, they looked as good as ever. All three pitchers worked one inning, not allowing a run.

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Race for second base has yet to exceed speed limit: Guardians takeaways

Updated: Mar. 05, 2025, 7:17 p.m.|Published: Mar. 05, 2025, 7:09 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians were off on Wednesday, which means the race for second base stayed in the garage.

The G’s are 11 games into the Cactus League season. One of their main goals is to find a replacement for Gold Glover Andres Gimenez, who was traded to Toronto in December. So far a leader has not emerged.

Here’s how things look right now:

Gabriel Arias has made four starts at second base. He’s hitting .188 (3 for 14) with one homer.

Juan Brito has made three starts at second base. He’s hitting .077 (1 for 13) with one homer.

Angel Martinez has made two starts at second base. He’s hitting .071 (1 for 14).

Tyler Freeman has made two starts at second base. He’s hitting .400 (4 for 10).

No one else has started a game at second base.

Spring training stats aren’t going to carry much weight in the Guardians’ final decision. But for now they serve as an outline of how things are going..

Manager Stephen Vogt says the decision will be based on track record, experience, the daily work a player puts in before and after games and their demeanor on the field. Versatility and roster makeup will be considered as well.

“A lot of what we evaluate is not necessarily the games,” said Vogt. “It’s the work, it’s the practice, it’s the reps. We make our practices very difficult for the players. We try to make game reps happen in practice so the game maybe a little easier.”

Gimenez started 151 games at second last year. Arias (four), Daniel Schneemann (three) and Freeman (two) and Martinez (one) were the only other players to make starts at second in 2024. Schneemann has yet to make a start at second this spring.

Let’s talk

The Guardians manager, front office personnel and select coaches hold meetings with each player in big league camp before practice start in earnest.

Not only is it an introductory meeting, but it’s a meeting where the player is told what the Guardians expect from him in camp and what are his chances of making the big league club.

It’s an honest conversation so there are no misunderstandings.

But what is the conversation like with All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez. Not only is he the best player on the roster, but he’s the highest paid as well.

“With Jose, it’s ‘What do you have for me?’” said Vogt. “Where do we need to get better? What do we need to do to improve. Just thank you, for being you.

“I love hearing from him. He has different perspectives than anyone else. He knows this place. This is his home.

“His big thing is ‘we need to continue to work every day. We need to push to get better.’ It’s great when you best player wants to push and work and lead by example.”

Who’s hot, who’s not

Some spring-training Guardians' batting averages: Brayan Rocchio .429 (6 for 14) with two RBI, Kyle Manzardo .375 (6 for 16) with one homer and two RBI, Will Brennan .357 (5 for 14) with one RBI, Steven Kwan .375 (6 for 17) with one homer and three RBI, Jhonkensy Noel .235 (4 for 17) with one homer and three RBI, Ramirez .200 (3 for 15), Bo Naylor .188 (3 for 16) with two RBI, Carlos Santana .176 (3 for 17) and Austin Hedges .000 (0 for 10).

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If a minor leaguer is on the injured list (surgery on arm) does the clock stop accumulating years for purposes of either make the 26 or placed on waivers?
I was away when this was posed; I'm back now

If he is already on the 40 man roster, then
NO. 60-day IL does not grant an additional year of options. Daniel Espino will be out of options before he ever is able to pitch a major league inning.

if he has not been added to the 40 man roster the years before which time he becomes a minor league free agent also are not extended.
another NO.

It would not have been a bad idea if I had researched this before I answered but I'm pretty sure that's what I have read previously. I'll take a look later

Thanks!

Bo Naylor homers twice, Guardians’ pitchers strikeout 15 in 4-0 win over Arizona

Published: Mar. 06, 2025, 11:06 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Bo Naylor, who entered Thursday night’s game hitting .188 (3 for 16), drove in four runs with consecutive homers as the Guardians beat Arizona, 4-0, at Goodyear Ballpark.

Naylor, with a strong wind blowing toward right field, started the second inning with a homer over the right field foul pole for a 1-0 lead off Ryne Nelson. In the third, he hit a line drive homer to right after Carlos Santana walked and Lane Thomas was hit by a pitch from Gerardo Gutierrez.

Tanner Bibee and four relievers three a five-hit shutout as Cleveland improved to 4-7-1 in Cactus League play

Bibee, in his Cactus League debut, allowed one hit and struck out three in three innings. Emmanuel Clase, Doug Nikhazy, Kolby Allard and Ryan Webb followed Bibee to the mound as Cleveland’s pitchers finished with 15 strikeouts.

Nikhazy, a left-hander in his first big league camp, was especially impressive. He threw three scoreless innings with six strikeouts. In three appearances this spring, Nikhazy (1-0, 0.00) has not allowed a run in seven innings with 10 strikeouts. He’s allowed one hit and one walk.

Last week pitching coach Carl Willis said Nikhazy could make the final 26-man roster as a starter or reliever. He’s currently being conditioned as a starter, but an injury to lefty Erik Sabrowski has opened a spot in the bullpen for another lefty.

Bibee was being slow played this spring after he made 31 starts and pitched 173 2/3 innings last year. Bibee made an additional four postseason starts to push his total innings to nearly 190.

He allowed a single and a walk in the third, but otherwise looked sharp. Clase pitched a scoreless fourth followed by Nikhazy, Allard and Webb. The left-handed Webb, a spring-training invitee, struck out the side in the ninth.

The Guardians finished with six hits. Naylor was the only Cleveland hitter with more than one hit.

The Diamondbacks fielded a split-squad team against Cleveland.

Flu bug

Manager Stephen Vogt and first base coach Sandy Alomar did not work Thursday’s night game because they were ill. Bench coach Craig Albernaz managed the Guardians, while outfield coach J.T. MaGuire replaced Alomar ... Right fielder Will Brennan, who left Tuesday’s game with a stiff back, was back in the lineup Thursday night ... Thursday night’s game was scheduled for 8:05 p.m. E.T., but didn’t start until 8:20 p.m. E.T. because the Diamondbacks were late making the trip from Scottsdale to Goodyear. The D-backs got caught in traffic going from one side of Phoenix to the other.

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ST Game Recap: Guardians 4, Diamondbacks 0

A satisfying Spring Training victory

By Quincy Wheeler Mar 6, 2025, 10:53pm EST 0 Comments / 0 New

The Guardians shut the Diamondbacks out tonight, winning 4-0 in Goodyear, Arizona, in their first night game of the year.

-Tanner Bibee threw three shutout innings, striking out three and allowing two hits and a walk in his first outing of the Spring.

-The two exciting performances of the game were Bo Naylor, who hit two home runs:

And Doug Nikhazy, who continued his excellent Spring with three shutout innings, one walk and six strikeouts. Kid has a 0.00 ERA and may be working his way to a rotation spot sooner rather than later if he can continue this.

-Emmanuel Clase, Koby Allard and Ryan Webb each threw scoreless frames, Clase striking out two, Allard one, and Webb three.

-Jose Ramirez, Steven Kwan, Brayan Rocchio and Dom Nunez each added hits, and Carlos Santana drew a walk.

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Nikhazy keeps looking really good

Guardians keep the power going with five homers in 12-5 win over A’s

Published: Mar. 07, 2025, 6:15 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The home-run splurge started Thursday night when Bo Naylor homered twice and drove in all four runs in a 4-0 win over Arizona by the Guardians.

It continued Friday as the Guardians homered five times on the way to a 12-5 Cactus League win over the A’s at HoHoKam Park in Mesa, Arizona.

Kyle Manzardo hit a two-run homer following a triple by Daniel Schneeman to spark a four-run first inning. The Guardians hit for the cycle in the first against Osvaldo Bido with Schneeman’s triple, Manzardo’s homer, Jhonkensy Noel’s single and Austin Hedges' run-scoring double.

Angel Martinez ended the big inning with a triple to score Hedges.

In the second, Schneemann hit a two-run homer following a Tyler Freeman single. Hedges homered in the third and Freeman hit a leadoff homer in the fourth off Bido for a 8-0 lead.

Micah Pries accounted for the fifth and final home run with a three-run drive in the eighth inning.

Bido in 3 1/3 innings allowed eight runs on nine hits with one walk and four strikeouts. Seven of Cleveland’s nine hits against Bido went for extra bases.

For Schneemann, Hedges, Freeman and Pries it was their first homers of the spring. It was Manzardo’s second Cactus League homer.

Lefty Joey Cantillo (1-1, 6.00) started and threw three scoreless innings for the win. He struck out one, walked two and allowed three hits. It was an improvement over his last start when he walked four and allowed four runs on three hits in one inning against the Cubs.

Paul Sewald and Hunter Gaddis, among Cleveland’s A-list relievers, each pitched a scoreless inning. Slade Cecconi got into trouble in the fifth. Acting manager Craig Albernaz — Stephen Vogt is still sidelined with the flu — removed him via the re-entry rule, but brought him back to start the sixth. Cecconi retired the side in order.

The Guardians finished with 16 hits, twelve going for extra bases. They hit five doubles, two triples and five homers.

Travis Bazzana, last year’s No.1 overall pick, came over from Cleveland’s depth camp to make his first Cactus League start. Bazzana DH’d and went 1 for 4 with a double in his final at-bat.

Next: The Guardians will send right-hander Luis Ortiz (0-1, 14.54) against San Diego on Saturday in Peoria, Arizona at 3:10 p.m. ET. Ortiz will be making his third Cactus League start. WTAM/1100 will carry the game.

ST Game Recap: Guardians 12, Athletics 5

Cleveland's bats remain hot

By ZacharyRMartin@CLEZach Mar 7, 2025, 6:29pm EST 1 Comment / 1 New

The Guardians took the momentum from the Thursday night game and decided to add more offense as they trounced the Athletics 12-5 in Mesa, AZ. Joey Cantillo got the start for the Guardians as they went for their fifth win of Spring Training. Amid everything, they decided to host their home run derby in the middle of the game.

- Kyle Manzardo hit his second homer of Spring, a two-run homer, in the top of the 1st

- Daniel Schneemann also hit his second, a two-run homer, in the top of the 2nd

- Austin Hedges, yes Hedges, got his first dinger of the year in the top of the 3rd

- Tyler Freeman got in on the homer parade with his first in the top of the 4th

- Micah Pries hit his first of the Spring as well with a three-run homer in the top of the 8th

By the time the fourth inning was over, the Guardians hit four homers and were up 8-0 after four full innings of work. That doesn’t even account for the away team's four-run 1st and two-run 2nd innings.

Joey Cantillo went 3 innings pitched giving up three hits and allowing two walks in the process. However, he also managed a strikeout to get his Spring Training ERA down to 6.00. Slade Cecconi pitched 1 2⁄3 innings giving up three runs on three hits while striking out two in the process. Hunter Gaddis did Hunter Gaddis type stuff and came into the game for an inning of work. He allowed only one hit in an inning of work striking out two batters.

Schneemann went two for three along with Freeman and Hedges. Manzardo went one for three in the game, and it was a big hit. Travis Bazzana went one for four on the day.

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