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

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

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Guardians Reliever Is Closing In On Key Step In Injury Recovery

March 14, 2026

By Andres Chavez

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Guardians Catcher Could Be Poised For Big Breakout

March 14, 2026

By Mike Battaglino

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Valera (calf strain) out several days; Schneeman (ankle) back soon

3:59 PM CDT

PEORIA, Ariz. -- George Valera is dealing with a left calf strain that will keep him out of the starting lineup in the coming days, manager Stephen Vogt noted Saturday.

Valera last played in Monday’s 6-2 win over the Royals at Surprise Stadium, when he went 1-for-3 with a single. Vogt noted the strain is considered “mild,” and that the club is monitoring it.

“He will not play for a few more days,” Vogt said. “It’s there. He’s still able to do some baseball activity, but he cannot play.”

Valera made his MLB debut on Sept. 1 this past season, and he hit two home runs with a .748 OPS over 16 games down the stretch. Nine of his 12 starts came as the No. 2 hitter in Cleveland’s lineup, and he also slotted there twice during the AL Wild Card Series. He hit a solo homer that keyed the Guardians’ 6-1 win over the Tigers in Game 2.

Valera is part of a crowded outfield picture this spring, in which he has gone 7-for-24 (.292) with two doubles, one homer and four RBIs over 10 games. He is positioning himself to make his first career Opening Day roster as a left-handed-hitting corner outfielder.

With Opening Day only 12 days away, the Guardians will be mindful of Valera’s status. The 25-year-old has enjoyed a regular Spring Training after injuries impacted his camp the past two years. In 2025, Valera spent the spring in rehab mode after he ruptured his right patellar tendon in September the previous season.

“I just love watching him move in the outfield right now,” Vogt said earlier this week. “He's moving free. He's not moving like somebody rehabbing like you've seen in the last few years. It's been really refreshing watching George kind of be free to go play and do his thing.”

Schneemann on the mend

The Guardians expect Daniel Schneemann to return to play in the coming days after he was scratched from Friday’s starting lineup against the Angels with a right ankle sprain.

Schneemann was a late scratch Friday after he hurt his ankle during a pregame double-play drill, when he stepped on the base wrong. X-rays came back negative.

“They called it a mild sprain,” Schneemann said Saturday. “Just a couple of days, hopefully, it will get better, and I’ll be in there hopefully some time next week.”

Schneemann has played second base, third base, shortstop and left field this spring. He was a Swiss army knife for Vogt in 2025 -- the 29-year-old played every position other than catcher, first base and pitcher -- and could serve a similar role for Cleveland this season.

Schneemann has gone 8-for-25 (.320) in 10 games this spring.

“It's a piece that most teams would love to have, and we're really fortunate that we have Schnee,” Vogt said Friday. “We can trust him anywhere on the field. That's a huge, huge value.”

Worth noting

Steven Kwan (upper respiratory) was not in Saturday’s starting lineup against the Padres. He is considered day to day.

The Guardians reassigned lefties Steven Pérez and Will Dion to Minor League camp on Saturday. Their spring roster stands at 48 players.

Tim Stebbins covers the Guardians for MLB.com.

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AL Central Notes: Valera, Collins, Baldwin

By Charlie Wright | at March 14, 2026 4:59pm CDT

Guardians outfielder George Valera has made a solid case for the left field job this spring. The 25-year-old has an .833 OPS across 10 games. Valera hasn’t been in the lineup since Monday, and manager Stephen Vogt revealed his dealing with a mild left calf strain. He’ll remain sidelined for a few more days, relays Tim Stebbins of MLB.com.

Valera made his debut in the final month of the 2025 campaign. He delivered a respectable 113 wRC+ in his brief stint with Cleveland. The lefty-swinging outfielder was on the bench in Game 1 of the Wild Card round with Tarik Skubal on the mound for the Tigers, but drew the start in right field for the next two games of the series. Valera homered off of Casey Mize in the first inning of Game 2, setting the tone for Cleveland’s lone win.

The Guardians struggled mightily to find consistent offense in the outfield last year. Steven Kwan had a fine season, but Cleveland finished dead last in OPS in both center field and right field. Angel Martinez was the main culprit in center, with Nolan Jones dragging down the numbers in right. The current plan for the upcoming season is for Kwan to move to center field, with Valera and top prospect Chase DeLauter handling the corners, at least against right-handed pitching. Martinez and Johnathan Rodriguez could factor in against lefties.

Outside of a stumble in his first taste of Triple-A, Valera has typically held his own as a hitter at every minor league level. Injuries limited his workload in 2025, but he slashed .255/.346/.457 in 28 games at Columbus.

A newcomer to the division is dealing with a minor injury of his own. Isaac Collins of the Royals is working through back/side tightness, reports Anne Rogers of MLB.com. The outfielder hasn’t suited up for a spring game since Tuesday. Collins downplayed the issue to Rogers, describing the injury as something he doesn’t want to attempt to play through with Opening Day around the corner.

Kansas City acquired Collins and right-hander Nick Mears from the Brewers for Angel Zerpa in mid-December. The outfielder was a bit of a late bloomer, debuting as a 26-year-old with Milwaukee in 2024. He only appeared in 11 games that season, but emerged as an everyday player this past year.

Collins posted a 122 wRC+ across 441 plate appearances in his first extended chance as a big leaguer. He chipped in nine home runs and 16 stolen bases. Braves catcher Drake Baldwin took home NL Rookie of the Year honors fairly comfortably, but Collins finished fourth in the voting, just behind former teammate Caleb Durbin.

Similar to the Guardians, the Royals had a tough time finding reliable offensive production in the outfield last season. The club made sure to address that need this winter, trading for Collins and signing Lane Thomas and Starling Marte. The two veteran additions are right-handed, making them sensible platoon partners for Kyle Isbel and Jac Caglianone. The switch-hitting Collins should be ticketed for an everyday gig in left field, assuming this injury isn’t too serious.

The White Sox outfield will be missing a familiar face this year, with longtime center fielder Luis Robert Jr. getting dealt to the Mets. His potential replacement is now dealing with an arm injury. Brooks Baldwin has been sidelined with elbow inflammation, per Kyle Williams of the Chicago Sun-Times. The versatile 25-year-old hasn’t appeared in a spring game for more than a week. “Talking to the trainers, we got an image, we got everything done,” Baldwin said. “But a lot of soreness in there, [we’re trying] to get it to calm down and take it day to day and see where we’re at.”

Baldwin spent the majority of the 2025 season with the big-league club, slashing .240/.290/.407 with 11 home runs across 103 games. He made 64 starts in the outfield, but also picked up double-digit appearances at second base, third base, and shortstop. Baldwin is headed for regular center field work this year, flanked by Andrew Benintendi and new arrival Austin Hays. If he’s forced to miss time, journeyman Derek Hill and former Yankee Everson Pereira would be candidates to see increased opportunities.

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PARKER MESSICK

Guardians face good dilemma with 'abundance of certainty' in rotation

45 minutes ago

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Guardians will soon be off to Seattle to begin the 2026 regular season. That means they’re approaching decision time on one of the biggest questions hanging over them this spring.

Which of Cleveland’s six starting pitchers will be part of its five-man rotation to begin the season?

“We're still having those conversations daily, but we’ve got 10 days,” manager Stephen Vogt said before Saturday's 8-5 loss to the Padres at Peoria Sports Complex. “What I've learned about the baseball industry, now that I don't have spikes on anymore, is we need deadlines. Nothing happens without deadlines in the game of baseball.

"We're going to continue to have that dialogue.”

The Guardians’ final exhibition game is March 24. Put another way, they have two turns through their rotation remaining before Opening Day. They have six starting pitchers vying for a spot in Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Slade Cecconi, Logan Allen, Joey Cantillo and Parker Messick.

Those six starters inspire plenty of confidence after they collectively dominated this past September to lead the Guardians to the AL Central division title. It has inspired a different vibe with the rotation picture this spring compared to Vogt's first two seasons as manager. In 2024 and ‘25, whether Cleveland had enough consistency and depth in its mix was a question.

"I've never felt like this with our starting pitching going into a season,” Vogt said. “Year 1, a lot of uncertainty. Last year, a lot of uncertainty. I feel like this year, we have an abundance of certainty, which is going to be a different dilemma and problem. All of these guys are throwing the ball excellent.”

There’s wisdom in finalizing the staff closer to Opening Day, to get as many data points as possible. And in a worst-case scenario, someone could be afflicted by an ailment before the end of camp, which would impact the calculus. But as constructed, someone will be the odd man out.

Here’s what we know. Bibee and Williams will anchor the staff. Vogt hasn’t named an Opening Day starter, but it will be one of those two. Bibee is on schedule for it. He’s set to start Sunday vs. the A's, so his ensuing start will fall on Friday or Saturday. Following a five-day routine, that would place his following turn on Opening Day.

Williams is set to start Monday vs. the Cubs; he last pitched in a Cactus League game on March 6, but continued his five-day routine by pitching five "ups" in a Minor League game on Wednesday. That would line him up to pitch the second game of the season.

That leaves three spots for Cecconi, Allen, Cantillo and Messick. Cantillo has zero Minor League options remaining, while Cecconi (one), Allen (two) and Messick (three) each have at least one.

Cecconi and Cantillo have followed Bibee and Williams the past three turns through the rotation, in that order. Messick has been fifth in that order the past two times; he threw a simulated game on March 4 and started Monday against the Royals. Both outings came while Allen was with Panama at the World Baseball Classic.

On Saturday, Allen made his Cactus League return and started against the Padres, and Messick started in a Minor League game. That puts them on the same turn, but obviously doesn’t mean any Guardians' decisions are down to the two.

Allen won the Guardians’ fifth starter’s job last spring and was solid in his first full season in a big league rotation. He logged a 4.25 ERA in 156 2/3 innings over 30 games (including 29 starts). His experience is valuable.

Messick’s career high in innings is 138 1/3 (set last season between Triple-A Columbus and the Majors). A sensible path forward could see him open in the Minors for workload considerations, while opening with the five starters who have more big league experience. Messick made a strong impression down the stretch last year (2.72 ERA in 39 2/3 innings over seven starts) and has earned a long look this spring, however.

There is plenty for the Guardians to factor in over the next week and a half.

“I hope that over the next 10 days, we continue to have some really tough dialogue,” Vogt said. “It's a good problem to have. Obviously, we don't know how it's going to shake out.”

Tim Stebbins covers the Guardians for MLB.com.

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Details Emerge About George Valera’s Injury

March 15, 2026

By Justin Hussong

The Cleveland Guardians have a handful of young exciting outfielders competing for playing time alongside Steven Kwan. George Valera is firmly in that mix and has gotten off to a strong start in Spring Training with an .833 OPS, but he has recently encountered a speed bump in his quest to win a starting role.

Valera recently strained his calf, which alarmed the fans, given the fact that he has had a lot of injuries throughout his career up to this point. The 25-year-old has struggled to stay on the field throughout the minors, and more details have emerged about his injury, which should help fans feel a bit better.

Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com recently wrote about Valera and noted that he should be out for at least a few days, but stopped short of suggesting this will be a long-term injury. He said the injury isn’t serious, but the team still wants to be careful with him, given his history.

“George Valera will be out for at least a few days as he deals with a mild left calf strain. Valera is in position to make the opening-day roster. He is hitting .292 (7-for-24) this spring with a homer and four RBI. The injury doesn’t appear to be serious. The Guardians want to be careful with Valera, who has dealt with a lot of injuries in his career. He does have a minor league option but the Guardians want to see what the 25-year-old can do in the majors,” Pluto wrote.

Valera came up late last season and provided a spark to help the team win the AL Central again. He even popped a homer in the playoffs and gave the fans a glimpse into what could hopefully be a long and productive future with him at the heart of the order.

There are roughly two weeks left until the regular season begins, so it’s disappointing that Valera is going to miss out on valuable time he could have used to further establish himself as a starter. Fellow high-upside and injury-prone prospect Chase DeLauter is in a similar boat and hoping for a breakout season if he can stay healthy as well, which he is at the moment.

Both these young lefties can turn into pivotal members of this lineup for the next decade. That path starts in 2026, and hopefully Valera can rest that calf up and be back before Opening Day.

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What is the situation with the Guardians’ Travis Bazzana? — Terry Pluto

Updated: Mar. 15, 2026, 9:01 a.m.|Published: Mar. 15, 2026, 9:00 a.m.

By Terry Pluto, cleveland.com

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — What about Travis Bazzana?

“We need to see him play,” said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. “He needs to play, especially after you’ve had an injury-riddled season like he did (in 2025).”

Bazzana not only was Cleveland’s top pick in the 2024 draft, he was the No. 1 overall selection.

With that, comes scrutiny from fans and the media.

With that also comes patience … as in almost none.

That’s especially true after Nick Kurtz (No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft) hammered 36 homers with 86 RBI, batting .290 (1.002 OPS) for the A’s last season. He also was the American League Rookie of the Year. He did all that in only 117 MLB games.

A first baseman from Wake Forest, Kurtz had only 150 minor-league plate appearances before coming to the majors.

Some fans wonder, “Why isn’t Bazzana already in the majors?”

A few other hitters from that 2024 draft did reach the majors in 2025. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Jac Caglianone (No. 6) batted .157 (.532 OPS) for the Royals.

2. Christian Moore (No. 8) batted .198 (.655 OPS) for the Angels.

3. Cam Smith (No. 14) batted .236 (.671 OPS) for the Cubs.

Looking at the group, it’s safe to say they all could have used more time in the minors.

A rough start

The 23-year-old Bazzana split last season between Class AA Akron and Class AAA Columbus.

He opened the season with the Rubber Ducks, then suffered a right oblique strain on May 14 and missed two months.

When he returned to action on July 18, he batted .341 (.943 OPS) in the next three weeks. That led to a promotion to Columbus.

A month later, he had a second oblique strain, this one on his left side.

His 2025 season ended on Sept. 13 due to his oblique injury.

Overall, he batted .256 (.790 OPS) at Akron and .225 (.858 OPS) for Columbus.

“Any time you have an injury-riddled season like that, you learn some good lessons through it,” said Vogt. “Not necessarily about the injury, but about yourself.”

In 2025, Bazzana played only 84 games in the minors, hitting .245 (.813 OPS) with nine homers and 39 RBI. The second baseman draws a lot of walks, which is why he had a .424 on-base percentage.

Bazzana never experienced anything like 2025. He played for powerhouse Oregon State (Steven Kwan’s school) and left as the Beavers’ all-time leader in hits, doubles, homers, stolen bases and walks.

He was the Cape Cod League MVP in 2023, which is significant to scouts. Wooden bats are used in the Cape Cod summer league, just as they are in pro ball.

College players use metal bats, which can inflate batting averages and homers. Bazzana batted .375 (1.037 OPS) to win the Cape Cod League batting title.

I heard the Guardians were considering JJ Wetherholt, who was the No. 7 pick to St. Louis. The infielder batted a combined .306 (.931 OPS) with 17 homers and 59 RBI between Class AA and AAA in 2025. He has a good chance of making the Cardinals’ opening roster this season.

Part of the reason the Guardians drafted the 6-foot, 200-pound lefty hitter is not only his track record of success at the highest level of college baseball, but also his attitude.

“He’s one of our best coaches,” said Guardians assistant GM James Harris. “He happens to coach himself. He knows exactly what he does well. He knows what to work on. He motivates himself well and partners well with us.”

Harris mentioned how Bazzana is “dialed in on his nutrition” and also working on sleep patterns. He is almost obsessed with analytics, looking for every edge.

What should be done

My theory is Bazzana puts too much pressure on himself. He is very aware of being the No. 1 pick. That was evident when I interviewed him in 2024 when he was playing for Class A Lake County.

He wants to reward the Guardians for making him the No. 1 pick. He treasures his Australian background and wants to make his home country proud.

“He wants to be an every-day big-leaguer and win multiple championships,” said Harris. “Every night before he goes to bed, he thinks about what he can do better.”

Harris gushes about Bazzana’s dedication. The assistant GM said, “If you paid someone to follow him around to tell him what to do, the guy would soon be out of a job.”

The point is, Bazzana knows what is right and is already doing it when it comes to preparation, conditioning and overall work ethic.

It’s like his pro career can’t quite get started. He played only 24 games in 2024 at Lake County, hitting .238 (.765 OPS) because that came after the July draft.

Then it was 84 games last season for two teams (along with two oblique injuries).

This spring, he left training camp for a few weeks to play for Australia in the World Baseball Classic. This was special for him. Bazzana hit a dramatic home run in one of the games.

Bazzana is 2-for-10 this spring with Cleveland. He was 3-for-16 in the WBC.

His pro career so far consists of 111 games and 496 plate appearances. Former Cleveland manager Terry Francona believed most players need at least 1,000 plate appearances in the minors to be ready for the big leagues.

The plan is for the second baseman to open the season in Columbus.

“He really just needs to play,” Vogt said more than once when I talked to him. “Just go out and play every day, then see what happens.”

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Guardians Infielder Headed To WBC Semifinals

March 15, 2026

By Andres Chavez

The World Baseball Classic has been everything fans hoped for and more, with stunning results and an amazing atmosphere in the stands. The most pleasant surprise of the tournament has been, by a country mile, team Italy.

The Italians beat Puerto Rico 8-6 on Saturday afternoon and advanced to the semifinals. They are currently undefeated, and two members of the Cleveland Guardians, Dylan DeLucia and Matt Festa, have been behind their success.

A third Guardian will join the pitching duo to reinforce Italy for their semifinals clash: infielder Brayan Rocchio.

“Guardians INF Brayan Rocchio will join Team Italy for the semifinals in Miami,” MLB reporter Daniel Alvarez-Montes posted on X.

The 25-year-old Rocchio, one of the hardest workers on the team, is projected to be the starter at the shortstop position for the Guardians in 2026, but first, he will make the trip to Miami to join Italy ahead of the semifinal game on Monday against his native country, Venezuela. If the team makes it to the final, Rocchio is expected to remain on the roster and fight for the title.

A slick-fielding shortstop, Rocchio is widely known for his clutch moments and postseason hits and homers. He still has a lot to prove over the course of a long season, though.

Rocchio owns a career line of .222/.293/.327 with a 77 wRC+. The league-average hitter has a 100 wRC+, so the infielder has been 23 percent worse than his peer with a bat in his hands.

There is hope, however, that the improvements he showed in the second half after coming back up to Cleveland following a stint in Triple-A will stick.

After being recalled on July first, Rocchio hit a much better .257/.310/.391 with a 96 wRC+. Basically, he became a league average hitter, which combined with his excellent glovework, make him a very useful player.

He will now defend the land of his ancestors because his own country, Venezuela, didn’t include him on their roster for the event.

Rocchio boasts a solid .310/.394/.552 line and a 144 wRC+ in 33 Cactus League plate appearances. He is performing well and putting some good swings on the ball.

Who knows, maybe he has one big moment in store for Team Italy in the WBC semifinals.

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Why the Guardians' First Three Series Could Shape the Rest of The 2026 Season

PLEASE??! I think they're playing 162 games again this year

Any injury for Valera could well keep him sidelined for weeks. Petey Halpin could step in for his roster spot.

Schneemann's injury reveals that we're surprisingly somewhat short on middle infielders major league ready. Brito really should get more time in AAA but could step in for awhile. NonRoster invitees Dayan Frias and MIlan Tolentino could fill in for a while too requiring some roster juggling.
If he hadn't been converted to the OF, Kahlil Watson would have been the obvious replacement.

Well Civ, all depends on how young hitters respond. We'll need runs to win.

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Jeff Passan reminds MLB world how important José Ramírez is to Guardians’ success

By Henry Palattella

2 hours ago

Any conversation about the Cleveland Guardians’ lineup has to begin and end with José Ramírez.

Although the Guardians have a variety of young prospects who could become mainstays in the lineup this summer, no player on the roster means more to the Guardians’ title hopes than Ramírez, who is clearly the best third baseman in baseball.

And the amount of pressure on Ramírez gained a bit of steam on Friday when ESPN MLB insider Jeff Pessan put out his preview for the 2026 MLB season, where he focused on the most important player from each team’s roster.

And, unsurprisingly, he picked Ramírez as the most important player on the Guardians.

The Guardians’ offseason inaction means there’s even more pressure on Jose Ramírez

As pointed out by Passan, the Guardians made marginal additions to their offseason despite finishing last season 29th in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage last season.

Part of the reason for that is because the Guardians’ front office wants to give prospects like Chase DeLauter and George Valera an opportunity to become key cogs in the lineup.

But it’s still surprising they didn’t add some kind of veteran reinforcement outside of signing Rhys Hoskins at the start of spring training.

The good news for the Guardians is that Ramírez has been pretty unstoppable in the 2020’s. Ramírez has earned MVP votes in six straight seasons and has won four of the past six American League Silver Slugger Awards at third base.

He’s been incredibly consistent and impacts the game with his glove, bat and legs. In short, he’s everything you want in a superstar. But, as Passan wrote, he hasn’t gotten a ton of help from the Guardians’ front office as of late.

But he could get some help from Chase DeLauter, who Passan believes could end up being the second-best hitter in the Guardians’ lineup when the 2026 season is said and done.

The biggest thing that could impede DeLauter’s ability to help the Guardians in 2026 is his ability to stay on the field, as he hasn’t played in more than 57 games in any of the three minor league seasons he’s played in.

DeLauter had a minor injury pop up earlier that spring that kept him off the field for a little less than a week, but he returned to the Guardians’ lineup and has been mashing ever since.

It can be tough not to take Ramírez for granted since he does everything well and keeps taking team-friendly contract extensions, but seeing arguably the biggest name in MLB media shine a light on just how little the Guardians’ did to provide Ramírez with some reinforcements.

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Guardians Prospect Turns Heads with Hitless Relief Appearance vs. USA in WBC

Wilkinson has been working his way through the Cleveland Guardians minor league system over the past three seasons.

Cade Cracas

2 hours ago

He normally draws attention because of his nickname, but Matt "Tugboat" Wilkinson has found his way into headlines for a different reason this time.

And fortunately, it's a good one.

On Friday, March 13, Team Canada squared off against the USA in the World Baseball Classic, falling in a close-knit affair, 5-3. Although it was a loss, countless players looked really good for Canada, with Wilkinson being the only reliever to not give up a hit.

He rocketed his value and stock high, pitching in two innings, where he gave up just two walks while striking out two batters. The batters he sent packing were some of MLB's best: Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh and Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper. He finished the game with 33 pitches thrown, 17 of which were strikes.

Before his outstanding late-game performance against powerhouse USA, he had only appeared in 0.2 innings of action. In total, he has now pitched 2.2 innings, allowed two walks and struck out four batters for a WHIP of 0.75, an opponent batting average of .000 and an ERA of 0.00.

Yes, it may be a limited sample size, but the 23-year-old has never played a baseball game at a level higher than High-A. That's impressive to see him play so well on one of baseball's grandest stages.

Wilkinson's Career with the Cleveland Guardians

Drafted in the 10th round of the 2023 MLB June Amateur Draft, Wilkinson has been slowly garnering attention in the minor league system.

He made his debut with the organization back in 2023, pitching in just one game of Rookie Ball, tossing three strikeouts in one inning.

In the following campaign, he spent time in both Single and High-A, averaging an ERA of 1.90 across 24 games played as a starter. He recorded an 8-6 record, all while posting a 0.910 WHIP with a staggering 174 strikeouts. One of his best attributes, something that seemed to translate to WBC play, was his ability to avoid walking batters. He only allowed 37 on base via walk.

His 2024 performance also saw him average 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings. He was ultimately selected to Just Baseball's 2024 All-Minor League Baseball Team.

After being at the top of his game, he took a slight step backward in 2025. He pitched in 104 innings and 25 total games, averaging a 4.24 ERA with a 4-9 record. His WHIP jumped up quite a bit to a mark of 1.375, while his strikeout mark per nine innings dropped to 10.1.

While there are always going to be bumps in the road, especially for minor leaguers trying to prove they deserve a spot in a front office's future plans, Wilkinson has shown that he's not going to let them tear him down.

He's expected to make a push to play Double-A ball at some point in the 2026 campaign.

While Wilkinson and Canada have been eliminated from the WBC, he'll be able to take this experience and carry it into the 2026 minor league season. The hope is that he can use this to increase confidence and continue to rise through the farm system.

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