Player News

• James Karinchak: Elects free agency

  19D ago • By RotoWire

  Karinchak elected free agency Monday. Karinchak refused an outrighted assignment by the Guardians, opting for free agency instead. He was limited to just seven rehab appearances in 2024 due to a shoulder issue but was pitching in games at the end of the season. Karinchak boasts a 36.3 percent strikeout rate but also a 14.1 percent walk rate over parts of five major-league seasons.

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• Guardians' James Karinchak: Rehabbing at Triple-A

  09/16/2024 • By RotoWire

  Karinchak (shoulder) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Columbus on Sept. 6 and has struck out seven batters over 4.2 innings across five appearances while giving up two earned runs on two hits and five walks. Karinchak has been on the injured list all season after reporting shoulder fatigue in spring training and being slow to recover from the issue and return to form. While working out at the Guardians' facility in Arizona in August, Karinchak seemed to turn a corner with his rehab program and was given the green light to report to Triple-A earlier this month. His results have been uneven thus far, but manager Stephen Vogt hasn't dismissed the possibility of Karinchak being an option out of the big-league bullpen before the regular season ends Sept. 29, per MLB.com.

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• Guardians' James Karinchak: May not pitch in 2024

  08/09/2024 • By RotoWire

  Karinchak (shoulder) has been working out at Cleveland's spring training facility in Arizona, but he may not pitch for the Guardians before the end of the season, MLB.com reports. With a 3.10 ERA and 22.2 K-BB% in 174 career relief appearances over five seasons in the majors, Karinchak has often been a dominant bullpen arm when available, but shoulder problems cost him a large chunk of the 2022 campaign and cropped up again in spring training. Though the Guardians have classified his injury as fatigue rather than something more severe, Karinchak has made minimal progress since being cleared to resume a throwing program March 11. According to the report, the quality and shape of the right-hander's pitches have degraded, and the team has thus far been unwilling to send him out on a minor-league rehab assignment. Karinchak will continue to work with the staff in Arizona in hopes of regaining his form.

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• Guardians' James Karinchak: Goes on 60-day IL

  03/29/2024 • By RotoWire

  The Guardians placed Karinchak on the 60-day injured list Thursday with right shoulder inflammation. According to MLB.com, Karinchak reported to camp dealing with right shoulder fatigue, but he made enough progress to get clearance to begin a throwing program March 11. The Guardians' decision to have Karinchak open the season on the 60-day IL perhaps signals that his throwing sessions aren't going as well as hoped, as he won't be eligible to make his 2024 debut until late May. Karinchak will likely continue to build back up at the Guardians' spring training facility in Arizona over the next few weeks before potentially heading out on a minor-league rehab assignment.

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• Guardians' James Karinchak: Initiates throwing program

  03/11/2024 • By RotoWire

  Karinchak (shoulder) has been cleared to begin a throwing progression Monday, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports. Karinchak had been shut down from throwing all spring after he had been experiencing right shoulder fatigue prior to reporting to camp. Since he's projected to serve as a one-inning reliever for Cleveland once healthy, Karinchak won't require as extensive of a ramp-up program as a starting pitcher, but with Opening Day approximately two and a half weeks away, the right-hander may not be ready to go by the time the Guardians open the regular season. Provided that he navigates his throwing program free of setbacks, Karinchak should be in store for only a brief stint on the IL to begin the season if the Guardians opt not to include him on the Opening Day roster.

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