Player News

• John Means: Ruptures Achilles

  3D ago • By RotoWire

  Means ruptured his Achilles tendon on Tuesday, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports. Means posted the news on his own social media. He noted that he was set to be recovered fully from Tommy John surgery in time for Opening Day and was on the verge of signing before the injury occurred. No timeline for his recovery has been announced, but he'll almost certainly miss the entire 2026 season. This continues a run of bad injury luck for Means, who had made just 10 appearances in the majors since 2022.

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• John Means: Hits free agency

  11/07/2025 • By RotoWire

  The Guardians declined Means' (elbow) 2026 club option Thursday, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports. Means is near the end of his recovery from Tommy John surgery but hasn't pitched in the majors since May 22, 2024. He made seven total rehab appearances in the final six weeks of the campaign, so he should be ready for the start of spring training with his new club.

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• Guardians' John Means: Makes fifth rehab start

  09/20/2025 • By RotoWire

  Means (elbow) allowed three runs on four hits while striking out four over 5.1 innings for Triple-A Columbus on Friday. Means threw 84 pitches (52 strikes) in his seventh rehab start and fifth at Triple-A. The outing is expected to be his final rehab outing, and the left-hander could join the Guardians next week as they vie for a playoff spot. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt told Patrick Donnelly of MLB.com on Friday that he's considering adding Means to the roster but will wait to see how the pitcher responds. The Guardians are already working with a six-man rotation, but Means could offer length out of the bullpen.

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• Guardians' John Means: Roughed up in rehab start

  09/15/2025 • By RotoWire

  Means (elbow) allowed six earned runs on five hits and four walks while striking out two over 3.2 innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Columbus on Sunday. Means navigated minimal traffic over two scoreless innings to begin the game but ran into trouble in the third, when he allowed two solo home runs. His struggles continued into the fourth inning, when he walked the bases loaded before giving up a two-run double. Means then balked in the go-ahead run. The left-hander is now six starts into his rehab assignment, and he's yet to find much success since shifting his assignment to Triple-A in late August, producing a 9.00 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 11:10 K:BB in 15 innings over four outings with Columbus. While Means has built his pitch count up to 82 and appears to be ready from a workload standpoint to take on a traditional starting role, his poor form at Triple-A could make the Guardians reluctant to activate him from the 60-day injured list during the upcoming week. The Guardians will have a stretch of six games in five days due to a doubleheader Saturday in Minnesota, but since the team is already running with a six-man rotation, Means may not be called upon to make a spot start for the big club.

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• Guardians' John Means: Knocked around in rehab start

  09/07/2025 • By RotoWire

  Means (elbow) struck out three and allowed five earned runs on six hits and two walks over 4.1 innings in a rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Columbus. Means had originally lined up to make the fifth start of his rehab assignment Friday with Columbus, but after falling ill, he ended up being pushed back a couple of days in the pitching schedule. The additional time off didn't prove beneficial for Means, who got stretched out to 72 pitches but wasn't particularly effective, as he surrendered four extra-base hits. The southpaw will presumably make at least one more rehab start with Columbus during the upcoming week before potentially returning from the 60-day injured list to make his Guardians debut in the second half of September.

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