Guardians' Ben Lively: Inks new deal with Guardians
Rotowire
Lively signed a one-year, $2.25 million deal with the Guardians to avoid arbitration Friday, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Lively was an effective member of the Guardians' rotation in 2024, maintaining a 3.81 ERA with a 118:49 K:BB across 151 innings. He battled some inconsistency due to his contact-heavy approach, but he is a strong candidate to begin the season in the rotation.
The Guardians added Lively to their ALCS roster Tuesday.
He's taking the roster spot vacated by Alex Cobb, who is now out for the remainder of the postseason with a back injury. Lively hasn't made an appearance since his final start of the regular season back on Sept. 28, but he's a candidate to make a start during the ALCS in Cobb's place.
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Guardians' Ben Lively: Left off ALDS roster
Rotowire
Lively is not included on the Guardians' roster for the American League Division Series versus Detroit.
Lively was a key part of Cleveland's rotation during the regular season, posting a 3.81 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 118:49 K:BB over 151 innings across 29 starts while going 13-10. He had a few poor starts near the end of the campaign and logged a 4.53 ERA along with a 1.39 WHIP over the final two months, which may have played a part in the decision to leave him off roster for the ALDS. The starting pitchers on Cleveland's ALDS roster include Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Matthew Boyd and Alex Cobb (finger).
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Guardians' Ben Lively: Tagged with 10th loss
Rotowire
Lively (13-10) took the loss Saturday against the Astros, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks while striking out four over four innings.
Lively didn't have his best stuff for his final regular-season start as the four walks tied a season high. It's a tough ending for what has otherwise been a great season for the 32-year-old. Lively heads into the playoffs with a 3.81 ERA over 151 innings in his first season with the Guardians.
Lively (13-9) picked up the win Friday, allowing one run on three hits and a walk over five innings in a 5-1 victory over the Cardinals. He struck out two.
The right-hander looked like he was running out of gas in late August as he set a new career high in innings pitched, but Lively has found a second wind. Over his last three starts, he's given up just one run in 12 innings, and he's won back-to-back outings. On the season, Lively's posted a 3.80 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 114:45 K:BB through 147 innings. With the Guardians on the cusp of clinching the AL Central title, the team could shuffle its rotation ahead of the playoffs, but Lively currently lines up to make his final start of the regular season at home next weekend against the Astros.
Guardians' Ben Lively: Delivers scoreless appearance
Rotowire
Lively (12-9) allowed four hits and a walk over five-plus shutout innings Sunday, striking out two and earning a win over the Rays.
Lively worked around a small threat in the first inning but otherwise didn't face much resistance from the Rays' lineup. He gave up two straight singles to begin the sixth inning before Cade Smith came in to clean up the mess. Lively picked up his first win since Aug. 24 and lowered his season ERA to 3.87 through 142 innings. He had given up 10 runs over 10.1 innings in his previous three starts entering Sunday. Lively is projected to make his next start in St. Louis.
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Guardians' Ben Lively: Confirmed for Sunday
Rotowire
The Guardians list Lively (thigh) as their scheduled starting pitcher for Sunday's game against the Rays.
He exited his start Tuesday against the White Sox after taking a comebacker off his right thigh in the second inning, but he escaped with little more than a bruise and has shown enough improvement to make his next start on normal rest. Prior to his early exit Tuesday, Lively had failed to log five innings in three of his previous five starts. He had a 6.20 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 16 strikeouts in 24.2 innings over that stretch.
Lively was removed from his start Tuesday versus the White Sox after getting hit in the leg by a comebacker, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Lively needed to be helped off the field after taking a 96-mph line drive off his right thigh in the second inning, but he managed to escape the incident with nothing more than a bruise. The Guardians will likely keep an eye on him over the next few days, but there's a good chance the 32-year-old righty will make his next start -- tentatively scheduled to come against the Twins on Monday. Lively pitched two shutout innings while striking out two batters and walking none before his removal Tuesday.
