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Injured Guardians outfielder says he is finally pain-free: Takeaways

Updated: May. 09, 2025, 8:23 p.m.|Published: May. 09, 2025, 7:32 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Injured Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas could be close to heading out on a rehab assignment, manager Stephen Vogt revealed on Friday.

Prior to the opener of Cleveland’s series against Philadelphia, Vogt said Thomas is finally pain-free after spending the last 17 days sidelined with a bruised right wrist suffered in the club’s home opener on April 8.

After a few days of conditioning, Cleveland’s medical staff will work with Thomas to determine his next steps. A rehab assignment could be in his near future.

“He just feels like he needs to get his strength back,” Vogt said. “We’re hoping if everything continues to go well over the weekend, at some point next week he’ll go out and play.”

Sunday night lights

Manager Stephen Vogt said right-hander Luis Ortiz will start Sunday’s prime-time tilt against the Phillies on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. The game is set for a 7 p.m. start.

Ortiz and Ben Lively both pitched during Tuesday’s doubleheader in Washington. Ortiz, who gets the start on regular rest, is 2-0 in three career appearances against Philly while with Pittsburgh, He has a 0.69 ERA and seven strikeouts in 13 innings against the Phillies.

Lively, who broke into the majors with Philly in 2017 and appeared in 20 games across parts of two seasons in the City of Brotherly Love, made one start against his former team last year with Cleveland, striking out six and walking a pair while allowing one run on three hits in a 9-6 Guards victory.

Good time to get the runs

The Guardians scored 31 of their 39 runs against Toronto and Washington in the sixth inning or later, including an eight-run outburst in the sixth inning on Wednesday and a six spot in the seventh during Game 1 of a doubleheader on Tuesday.

Wednesday’s output was Cleveland’s single-highest scoring inning of the season.

According to Elias, the road trip marked the first time that the Guardians scored 31 runs or more in the sixth inning or later over a six-game span since June 1 to June 7 of 2006 (34). Cleveland matched the late-inning production of the Cubs from earlier this season when Chicago also scored 31 runs in the sixth inning or later from March 30 to April 12.

The Guards now rank third in the American League with 83 runs scored late (sixth or later), behind the Yankees (84) and Mariners (86).

Vogt credited Cleveland’s hitters for continuing to push when they get a sense that the big inning is near.

“When we smell blood, we go,” Vogt said. “Our guys really feed off each other.”

Vogt said Cleveland’s ability to squeeze opposing relievers has also helped.

“When we get on base, we make really good things happen,” Vogt said. “That’s all we try to do. We try to get on base and then keep the line moving.”

Walk this May

Guardians hitters are tied for the major league lead in walks since May 1, joining the Reds and Mets with the most free passes in that span.

Cleveland’s 11.7% walk rate leads the AL, according to Sportradar, and is the second-highest in MLB, behind the Mets (11.9%). It is one of the reasons the Guards rank fourth in the majors in on-base percentage at .348, trailing Kansas City (.355), the Mets (.359) and Detroit (.374).

Steven Kwan, Kyle Manzardo and Carlos Santana lead the club with five walks apiece since the calendar turned to May. Nolan Jones and Daniel Schneemann have drawn four apiece.

Vogt said hitters such as Kwan and Santana have shown over the course of their careers that when they get behind in the count early -- even at two strikes -- they almost become better hitters.

“For me it’s the plate discipline,” Vogt said. “It’s knowing your zone. Kwannie and Santana are obviously two of the best in the game at plate discipline they have such little chase.”

Santana has drawn more than 90 walks eight times in his career, including four seasons of more than 100 free passes. Kwan has ranked in the 65th percentile or better in walk rate in each of his first three seasons.

According to Vogt, that level of success comes from knowing the strike zone, trusting your eyes and trusting your ability to extend an at-bat with contact.

“The ‘emergency exit’ of fouling something off late, maybe not everybody has that club in their bag,” Vogt said.

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Former Guardians Pitcher Has Words Of Advice For Current Staff

May 8, 2025

By Andres Chavez

The history of the Cleveland Guardians is filled with talented pitchers.

If we go back to the days in which they were known as the Indians, the pitching talent the organization has seen is considerable.

From 1990 to 2002, Charles Nagy was a big part of Cleveland’s rotation.

In 1991, he was eighth in the AL Rookie of the Year race and went on to have some really good seasons in the nineties.

He made three All-Star teams while wearing Cleveland’s uniform, and finished in the top ten of the AL Cy Young vote three times.

He recently participated in the Carlos Baerga Show with his former teammate and was asked a key question.

“Just listen to Carl Willis,” Nagy said.

What advice does former Cleveland Indians pitcher have for the current pitching staff? #GuardsBall

"Just listen to Carl Willis..."

https://x.com/i/status/1920515287440408858

Willis is widely considered one of the best pitching coaches in the game, with a flawless track record in his role since 2003, not only with the Guardians but also with other squads.

Oddly, that’s when Nagy’s playing career ended, but he is very much familiar with Willis and his talents.

Everyone in Cleveland is, not to mention the fact that Willis had been with the organization since 1997, just not as the pitching coach of the big league club.

Willis’ contributions to the city are hard to measure and put into words, because he has been directly responsible for helping multiple generations of pitchers find the best versions of themselves.

He was Cleveland’s pitching coach from 2003 until 2009, and then from 2018 to this date.

Willis is still impacting the careers of many talented hurlers to this day, so yes: the best thing a young Guardians pitcher can do is listen to what he has to say.

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By MLB.com Staff

May 9, 2025

LATEST INJURIES

OF Lane Thomas
Injury: Right wrist bone bruise
IL date: April 22 (10-day IL, retroactive to April 20)
Expected return: Mid- to late May
Status: “Pain free,” per manager Stephen Vogt. Working on getting strength back. The team is hopeful he will start a rehab assignment the week of May 12. (Last updated: May 9) More >>

OF Chase DeLauter (Guardians' No. 2 prospect, No. 33 overall)
Injury: Core muscle surgery
Expected return: Late May or early June
Status: Responding well to rehab program and has returned to full baseball activity without setbacks. Began rehab assignment in Rookie-level Arizona Complex League on May 6 (Last updated: May 9) More `>>

RHP Slade Cecconi
Injury: Left oblique strain
IL date: March 27 (15-day IL, retroactive to March 24)
Expected return: May
Status: Threw 61 pitches (43 strikes) in second rehab start with Triple-A Columbus on May 6. Allowed three runs on five hits and one walk in four innings with two K's. Set to start again May 11. (Last updated: May 6)

RHP Paul Sewald
Injury: Right posterior deltoid strain
IL date: April 29 (15-day IL)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Suffered isolated high-grade strain on April 28. Will be rechecked at two-week intervals to determine progress and readiness to begin a return-to-throw program. (Last updated: May 5)

RHP Shane Bieber
Injury: Right UCL tear
IL date: March 27 (60-day IL, retroactive to March 24)
Expected return: Midseason 2025
Status: Threw a live batting practice session at the Arizona Complex on May 2 that went well, but the righty still "has a ways to go" before game action, per manager Stephen Vogt. (Last updated: May 3)

RHP Trevor Stephan
Injury: Right UCL reconstruction surgery
IL date: March 27 (60-day IL, retroactive to March 24)
Expected return: 2025
Status: Threw live batting practice at the Arizona Complex on May 2. The next step is another live session as Stephan continues his lengthy rehab. (Last updated: May 3)

UTL David Fry
Injury: Right UCL revision
IL date: Feb. 19 (60-day IL)
Expected return: Summer 2025
Status: Projected to begin game progression in May, likely starting at Guardians’ complex in Arizona. (Last updated: April 30)

RHP Andrew Walters (Guardians’ No. 11 prospect)
Injury: Right elbow inflammation
IL date: April 22 (7-day IL)
Expected return: TBD
Status: Working through return-to-throw program and progressing well. Tentatively scheduled to return to game activity in next 10-14 days. (Last updated: April 30)

LHP John Means
Injury: Left elbow UCL surgery recovery
IL date: April 9 (60-day IL)
Expected return: Late 2025
Status: Progressing well in return-to-throw program and throwing out to 120 feet. Projected to initiate throwing bullpens in mid-May. (Last updated: April 30)

LHP Erik Sabrowski
Injury: Left elbow inflammation
IL date: March 27 (60-day IL, retroactive to March 24)
Expected return: May
Status: Currently in bullpen progression. Experienced increased soreness week of April 28, leading to break from mound activity. Has returned to throwing. Expected to resume mound activity week of May 5. (Last updated: April 30)

OF George Valera
Injury: Right patellar tendon repair
IL date: March 28 (7-day MiLB IL)
Expected return: Early 2025
Status: Responding well to current baseball activity and has progressed his defensive work and running. Anticipated to begin game progression in mid-May. (Last updated: April 30)

LHP Sam Hentges
Injury: Left shoulder surgery
IL date: Feb. 16 (60-day IL)
Expected return: 2026
Status: Progressing through post-op rehab and throwing programs as scheduled. Timeframe for full recovery from anterior capsule repair is typically 12-14 months. (Last updated: April 30)

INF/OF Juan Brito (Guardians' No. 10 prospect)
Injury: Right thumb sprain
IL date: April 24 (7-day IL)
Expected return: 8-12 weeks
Status: Suffered a high-grade ligament sprain of his right thumb on a slide. Surgery was performed April 25. Will transition to Goodyear, Ariz., to initiate a post-operative rehabilitation. (Last updated: April 26) More >>

INF Angel Genao (Guardians' No. 4 prospect, No. 60 overall)
Injury: Right shoulder sprain
Expected return: June
Status: Genao sustained a right shoulder sprain during Spring Training. He's progressed well and is focusing on light shoulder strengthening and passive mobility. (Last updated: April 1)

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