Ortiz allowed four runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four over 3.2 innings in Thursday's spring start against the Rockies.
Ortiz made his fourth Cactus League start and through three innings appeared to have rebounded from a rocky third outing, but then the fourth inning came. After punching out the side in the third inning, the right-hander walked two and ceded a three-run home run to Jacob Stallings, the second homer Ortiz allowed on the day. Like the rest of his spring, one needs to squint to take the positives out of Thursday's outing. He reached 73 pitches and fastball velo remained up. His spring ERA stands at 12.66, but as the club's major offseason pitching acquisition, Ortiz is expected to open the regular season as part of the rotation.
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Guardians' Jhonkensy Noel: Still has chance for roster spot
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Noel is projected to make the Guardians' Opening Day roster by Mandy Bell and Tim Stebbins of MLB.com.
Noel has 15 strikeouts across 33 at-bats in Cactus League action this spring and doesn't offer much range in the outfield. On the other hand, he would provide some needed pop for the Guardians from the right side of the plate, as he maintained a .268 ISO across 198 plate appearances in his first taste of the majors last season. Assuming he does make the team, Noel is expected to begin the campaign splitting time with Will Brennan in right field.
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Guardians' Will Brennan: Still in line to make roster
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Brennan is still in line to make the Guardians' Opening Day roster despite a slow spring training, Mandy Bell and Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Brennan has struggled each of the last two seasons with OPS marks of .655 and .697, respectively. Even after logging only six hits across 24 at-bats in the spring this season -- only one of which has gone for extra bases -- he is still projected to make the roster and split reps with Jhonkensy Noel in right field. Brennan would provide a contact-heavy profile at the plate from the left side, while Noel should provide more pop with more strikeouts.
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Guardians' John Means: Extends throwing distance
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Means (elbow) extended his throwing distance to 75-to-90 feet Wednesday.
Means is still in the early stages of what will be a lengthy throwing program after undergoing his second career Tommy John surgery in June. He likely won't be close to pitching in games until the final month of the season, though there's a possibility the team holds off on deploying him until 2026.
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Guardians' David Fry: Taking dry swings
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Fry (elbow) was cleared to begin taking dry swings Wednesday.
The Guardians sent Fry to the 60-day IL in February, which ensures he'll be out until at least May 26. Depending on how quickly he progresses through the rest of his rehab from November elbow surgery, he may be ready to contribute as a DH by then, though he won't have any hope of playing in the field or behind the plate until 2026.
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Guardians' Erik Sabrowski: Resumes throwing
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Sabrowki (elbow) played catch from 60 feet Wednesday.
Sabrowski was shut down from throwing for a few days after receiving an injection Friday to treat inflammation in his elbow. He's now been given the green light to start up a throwing program, though it's still unclear how far away he is from pitching in a game.
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Guardians' Andrew Walters: Facing hitters
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Walters (shoulder) threw live batting practice Wednesday.
Walters has been out with shoulder stiffness since late February, but he seems to be making progress in his recovery after throwing a bullpen session Sunday and now progressing to live hitters. That being said, it remains unclear if he'll be ready for Opening Day.
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Guardians' Juan Brito: Struggling this spring
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Brito is just 2-for-21 at the plate this spring and could be behind Gabriel Arias in the pecking order at second base for the Guardians, Mandy Bell and Tim Stebbins of MLB.com report.
Both of Brito's hits have been home runs, but he's also struck out at a 30.4 percent clip this spring. The 23-year-old is on the 40-man roster but has not yet made his major-league debut, and a trip back to Triple-A Columbus could be in order, at least to start the season.
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Guardians' Gabriel Arias: Might be favorite for keystone job
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Arias could be the favorite to capture the Guardians' second-base job, Mandy Bell and Tim Stebbins of MLB.com report.
The Guardians have held an open competition at second base to replace Andres Gimenez, who was traded to the Blue Jays this offseason. Arias is out of minor-league options and has had a decent spring with a .758 OPS and one home run, which might be enough to put him at the top of the pecking order. However, Juan Brito, Tyler Freeman, Daniel Schneemann and Angel Martinez remain in the mix and nothing has been decided yet. Ultimately, manager Stephen Vogt could have something of a committee approach at second base.
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Guardians' Petey Halpin: Cut from big-league camp
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The Guardians optioned Halpin to Triple-A Columbus on Tuesday.
Halpin was added to Cleveland's 40-man roster over the winter but never had a real chance of cracking the Opening Day roster. The 22-year-old will get his first taste of Triple-A ball in 2025 after slashing .240/.314/.386 at Double-A Akron in 2024.
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Guardians' Ben Lively: Strengthens rotation bid
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Lively scattered three hits and one walk while striking out three over four scoreless innings in Monday's Cactus League start against the Royals.
Lively strengthened his case for a spot in the rotation during his third Cactus League start against a lineup with several Kansas City regulars. He's allowed just one run over nine spring innings. The right-hander won't blow away many hitters, but he doesn't hurt himself with walks. The key will be locating and preventing the long ball. He's penciled in as one of the five members of the rotation in the latest roster projection offered by Mandy Bell and Tim Stebbins of MLB.com.
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Guardians' Triston McKenzie: Shows improvement
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McKenzie allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out three over 3.2 innings in Monday's Cactus League start against the Cubs.
There was a lot of traffic during McKenzie's third Cactus League start, but Monday's mixed-result effort was much better than his previous outing. The right-hander walked five and retired just two of seven batters during his second spring start 12 days ago. The seven hits suggest command was inconsistent, but McKenzie amassed 13 whiffs among his 60 offerings, indicating he can be effective when locating. The improvement from his second spring outing keeps him alive in the battle for a spot in the rotation. He was among the five starters in the projected Opening Day roster compiled by Mandy Bell and Tim Stebbins of MLB.com.
Guardians' Andrew Walters: Battling stiff shoulder
Rotowire
Walters is returning from right shoulder stiffness and threw a bullpen session Sunday, SI.com reports.
Walters was shut down after giving up three runs over one-third of an inning during his spring debut Feb. 24, but he's been cleared to resume mound work. The right-hander delivered 8.2 scoreless frames in his first taste of the majors last season, but it's unclear if he'll be past the shoulder issue in time for Opening Day.
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Guardians' Brayan Rocchio: Having strong spring
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Rocchio went 2-for-3 in Saturday's spring game against San Diego.
Rocchio is showing signs of improvement at the plate during Cactus League play, slashing .450/.476/.650 with four doubles through eight spring games. That builds off a strong 2024 postseason in which the shortstop had a .906 OPS. The 24-year-old was a highly regarded prospect a few years ago, and while he may not provide much in the way of power, Rocchio defends well (five outs above average in 2024) at a premium position and doesn't need to be a five-category contributor to be an asset for the Guardians.
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Guardians' Luis L. Ortiz: Roughed up early
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Ortiz allowed four runs on three hits and two walks while striking out five over 2.2 innings in Saturday's spring start against the Padres.
Ortiz struggled with his command during his third Cactus League start. He walked two and allowed four runs in the first inning before being pulled, returning in the second via the re-entry rule to retire six of the final seven batters he faced. Ortiz's spring ERA jumped to 14.14 over seven innings, but as the Guardians' major offseason pitching acquisition, the right-hander should be locked into a spot in the rotation.
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Guardians' Chase DeLauter: Sent to minor-league camp
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The Twins reassigned DeLauter (abdomen) to minor-league camp Saturday.
DeLauter is expected to be out for 8-to-12 weeks after undergoing hernia surgery Tuesday. He logged only 168 plate appearances in the minors during the 2024 season (including 27 in Triple-A), but he has a chance at seeing time on the Guardians' 26-man roster during the 2025 campaign once he's fully recovered from the procedure.
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Guardians' Daniel Espino: Beginning 2025 in Triple-A
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The Guardians optioned Espino (shoulder) to Triple-A Columbus on Saturday.
Espino underwent surgery to repair his right shoulder capsule and rotator cuff in March of 2024. He's not expected to be game-ready until July, but he has recently extended his throwing distance to 120 feet, and once he's fully healthy he'll work out of Columbus' rotation.
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Guardians' Nic Enright: Starting 2025 in Triple-A
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The Guardians optioned Enright (lat) to Triple-A Columbus on Saturday.
Enright suffered a low-grade lat strain mid-February, but he has recently progressed to mound work. He'll begin the 2025 campaign in Triple-A, but he could make his major-league debut later in the season should the Guardians be in need of right-handed depth out of the bullpen. Enright appeared in 16 games for Columbus in 2024 and posted a 2-1 record with a 1.06 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 31:5 K:BB and three saves across 17 innings.
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