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Anthony Gose Anthony Gose Invited to big-league camp
Mon, Feb 12, 2024, 9:16 PM
Gose (elbow) was invited to major-league spring training.
Analysis: Gose will have an opportunity to show what he can do against big-league arms to begin camp. He missed the entire 2023 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, so this will be a good test for the southpaw, who made 22 appearances for the Guardians in 2022 (4.71 ERA and 1.38 WHIP across 21.0 innings). |
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Tyler Zuber Tyler Zuber Receives NRI from Cleveland
Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 3:32 PM
Zuber signed a minor-league contract with the Guardians on Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training.
Analysis: Zuber missed the 2022 season following right shoulder surgery before posting a 5.23 ERA and 18:10 K:BB over 20.2 frames at Triple-A Reno in the Diamondbacks organization in 2023. He held a 5.29 ERA and 55:37 K:BB in 49.1 innings for the Royals from 2020-21. Zuber figures to open the year at Triple-A Columbus. |
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Dom Nunez Dom Nunez Invited to Guardians camp
Tue, Jan 30, 2024, 1:52 PM
Nunez signed a minor-league contract with the Guardians on Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training.
Analysis: Nunez will face an uphill battle to make the Opening Day roster but will give the Guardians another catcher in camp. The 29-year-old has a career .653 OPS over parts of three big-league campaigns. |
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Anthony Banda Anthony Banda Receives NRI from Guardians
Tue, Jan 30, 2024, 1:49 PM
Banda signed a minor-league contract with the Guardians on Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training.
Analysis: Banda spent most of 2023 at the Triple-A level but made 10 appearances with the Nationals, allowing five runs in seven innings. The seven-year veteran holds a career 5.69 ERA and 109:49 K:BB over 118.2 innings. |
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Carlos Carrasco Carlos Carrasco Gets NRI from Cleveland
Sat, Jan 27, 2024, 4:25 PM
Carrasco (finger) signed a minor-league contract with the Guardians on Saturday and received an invitation to major-league spring training, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Carrasco pitched for Cleveland between 2009-20 and will return for his second stint with the franchise after three years with the Mets. Carrasco put up a 6.80 ERA and 1.70 WHIP through 90 innings across 20 starts last season, and his campaign was cut short in September by a fractured finger. Given the strength of Cleveland's rotation, it's unlikely the 36-year-old lands a starting job, but he could operate as a multi-inning reliever for the big-league club if he turns in a solid spring. |
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Tyler Beede Tyler Beede Invited to Guardians camp
Sat, Jan 27, 2024, 9:48 AM
Beede signed a minor-league contract with the Guardians on Saturday and received an invitation to major-league spring training, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: Beede spent last season with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball, putting up a 4.08 ERA and 1.45 WHIP across 75 innings. His ERA jumps up to 5.34 in 187 career innings as a major-leaguer, and Beede will most likely begin 2024 at Triple-A Columbus. |
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Triston McKenzie Triston McKenzie Healthy heading into camp
Mon, Jan 22, 2024, 9:43 AM
McKenzie said at the Guardians' FanFest event Saturday that he's "feeling great" physically, Leah Doherty of Cleveland 19 News reports.
Analysis: McKenzie was limited to just four starts for the Guardians in 2023 due to shoulder and elbow problems, but he finished the season healthy and has thrown without issue this winter. The right-hander noted that he's thrown more this offseason than he normally would in order to make up for lost time. McKenzie represents a buy-low option for fantasy managers, but he will remain a health risk heading into 2024. |
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Nick Sandlin Nick Sandlin Avoids arbitration with Cleveland
Thu, Jan 11, 2024, 9:25 PM
Sandlin signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Guardians on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Analysis: Sandlin threw a career-high 60 innings in 2023 and posted an impressive all-around season by maintaining a 3.75 ERA and 1.03 WHIP to go along with a 66:24 K:BB. He should maintain a key spot in Cleveland's bullpen in 2024. |
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Sam Hentges Sam Hentges Set to earn $1.6 million in 2024
Thu, Jan 11, 2024, 9:20 PM
Hentges signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract with the Guardians on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Analysis: Hentges broke out in 2022 after shifting to a full-time relief role. He took a moderate step back in 2023 by posting a 3.61 ERA and 1.36 WHIP across 52.1 innings, but he still managed a 17 K-BB%. After recording 15 holds last season, Hentges should have the chance to serve in a high-leverage role once again in 2024. |
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Triston McKenzie Triston McKenzie Settles with Guardians
Thu, Jan 11, 2024, 9:16 PM
McKenzie signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract with the Guardians on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Analysis: McKenzie was limited to only 16 innings in 2023 due to an elbow injury, though he did end the campaign healthy. Assuming he can get through spring training unscathed, he should pair up with Shane Bieber as the two veteran leaders of the Guardians' rotation in 2024. |
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Josh Naylor Josh Naylor Avoids arbitration with Guardians
Thu, Jan 11, 2024, 9:03 PM
Naylor signed a one-year, $6.6 million deal with the Guardians on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Analysis: Naylor has improved across each of the last three seasons, and he posted an impressive .308/.354/.489 line across 495 plate appearances in 2023. He could sit occasionally against lefties, but he otherwise should be locked in as Cleveland's primary first baseman in 2024. |
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Scott Barlow Scott Barlow Reaches deal with Guardians
Thu, Jan 11, 2024, 8:59 PM
Barlow signed a one-year, $6.7 million deal with the Guardians on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Analysis: The Guardians acquired Barlow from the Padres in mid-November, the second time in the calendar year he was dealt. It was a disappointing 2023 season for the reliever -- he posted a 4.37 ERA and 1.40 WHIP across 68 innings -- but he had been reliable for a few years prior. If Barlow can bounce back, he should occupy a high-leverage role in Cleveland's bullpen. |
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James Karinchak James Karinchak Agrees to terms for 2024
Thu, Jan 11, 2024, 8:55 PM
Karinchak signed a one-year, $1.9 million contract with the Guardians on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Analysis: Karinchak walked 28 batters across 39 innings in 2023, but he still managed a solid 3.23 ERA with 52 strikeouts. While Emmanuel Clase is almost certainly locked into the closer role in Cleveland, Karinchak could be a decent source of holds. |
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Shane Bieber Shane Bieber Nets $13.125 million from Guardians
Thu, Jan 11, 2024, 11:57 AM
The Guardians and Bieber avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $13.125 million contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Analysis: Bieber had been projected as one of the highest earners via the arbitration process in what was his final year of eligibility. The veteran right-hander posted a 3.80 ERA and 107:34 K:BB over 128 innings covering 21 starts for Cleveland in 2023. His stuff and strikeouts have been ticking down and he missed time with an elbow injury last season, but Bieber will be healthy heading into spring training. |
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Estevan Florial Estevan Florial Lands in Cleveland via trade
Tue, Dec 26, 2023, 11:42 AM
The Guardians acquired Florial from the Yankees on Tuesday in exchange for Cody Morris.
Analysis: Florial doesn't have anything left to prove in the minors but also didn't have a clear path to playing time with the Yankees, so a change of scenery was just what the doctor ordered. There's probably not a better landing spot for him than Cleveland, where only Steven Kwan would appear locked into a starting role in the outfield. Florial slashed .284/.380/.565 with 28 home runs and 25 stolen bases at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2023, although that also came with a 30 percent strikeout rate. The 26-year-old has hit only .209/.313/.296 with one home run and a 31 percent strikeout rate in 48 major-league contests, but his playing time has been sporadic. |
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Alfonso Rivas III Alfonso Rivas DFA'd by Cleveland
Fri, Dec 15, 2023, 1:11 PM
The Guardians designated Rivas for assignment Friday.
Analysis: Rivas was pushed off the 40-man roster in order to clear room for Austin Hedges, who officially signed with the Guardians on Friday. Rivas slashed .229/.303/.422 across 123 plate appearances with the Pirates and Padres last season, and he could potentially attract interest on the waiver wire from teams looking for options at first base. |
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Ben Lively Ben Lively Gets MLB deal from Guardians
Tue, Dec 12, 2023, 9:19 AM
Lively signed a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Guardians on Tuesday.
Analysis: The 31-year-old right-hander receives a major-league deal from Cleveland after collecting a 5.38 ERA and 79:25 K:BB over 88.2 innings with the Reds in 2023. Currently, there wouldn't appear to be room for Lively in the Guardians' rotation. However, it's possible a spot could open up if the club winds up trading Shane Bieber or someone else. More likely, perhaps, is that Lively operates as a long reliever or swingman. |
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Austin Hedges Austin Hedges Rejoining Cleveland
Sun, Dec 10, 2023, 1:34 PM
Hedges agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract with the Guardians on Sunday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Analysis: Hedges split last season between Pittsburgh and Texas but will make a return to the Cleveland in 2024, where he made 199 appearances from 2020 to 2022. The veteran backstop brings nothing offensively with a .478 OPS over the past two years but provides strong defense. Hedges should fill the backup job at catcher behind youngster Bo Naylor for the Guardians. |
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Jaime Barria Jaime Barria Finds work with Guardians
Wed, Nov 29, 2023, 8:06 PM
Barria signed a minor-league contract with the Guardians on Wednesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Barria rejected an outright assignment from the Angels and became a free agent earlier in the offseason, and he'll now attempt to carve out a role for himself with the Guardians. The 27-year-old righty posted a 5.68 ERA and 1.47 WHIP last year -- a sharp decline from his 2.61 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 2022. Barria's deal includes an invitation to major-league spring training, and a good spring could be enough for him to earn a spot in Cleveland's Opening Day bullpen. |
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Ramon Laureano Ramon Laureano Avoids arbitration at $5.15M
Fri, Nov 17, 2023, 6:47 PM
Laureano signed a one-year, $5.15 million contract with the Guardians on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Laureano was designated for assignment by the Athletics this past August, but Cleveland quickly scooped him up and he went on to post a decent .724 OPS over 41 games with his new team while drawing regular starts in the outfield. The 29-year-old gets a nice raise here over his $3.55 million salary from 2023. |
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