Good for you two but the FO and manager say one is a major league player and the other currently is not.

Why do they bother playing Rodriguez at all? They're wasting a roster spot on him.

As a big McKenzie fan from way back, I'm prepared to let him go. He has had a terrible spring piggypacking on a bad 2024 and a virtually shutdown 2023. If we got through waivers and had an opportunity to again try to improve things in Columbus that would be great.
As a reminder in 76 innings last season he was bombed for 19 homers and he walked 49.
If his arm is healthy [is it?] 27 year old has plenty of time to get things back together, I guess, but he sure doesn't belong in our starting rotation and to his disadvantage we have a bullpen that is probably full up now that Junis has joined Sewald and last year's big 4. Allard will be the 2nd lefty it appears. I guess that does leave one more spot if Walters isn't ready to break camp, so they can stick McK in the pen for mopup work while the coaches work with him.

Looking at the 40 man roster it turns out there are very few decisions to make among the 23 pitchers.

5 of them are on the way to the 60-day IL: Espino of course; Bieber; Hentges; Stephan; Means and open up spots on the roster.
3 more who will go on the shorter IL Sabrowski, Aleman, Enright
That brings the total to 15 and they'll want to keep 13 on the active roster.
They certainly will not keep Cecconi on the roster, and perhaps he's hurt and heading to the IL, too?
Walters may well not be ready for the major league season so could open in Columbus.
That brings the total to 13; they could all open with Cleveland, but I doubt they'd want Cantillo a in the big league bullpen; Cantillo will be better served in Columbus
The lefty in the bullpen could be Allen but I hope they let him start; it doesn't really make sense for the season to open with a major of starters who did not have good springs.
Allard seems likely to be the 2nd reliever and the 13th man.
2 among Allen Ortiz and McKenzie will be in the rotation, I guess, although I would prefer to see Ortiz complete his "spring training" in Columbus I have to agree with a friend of mine who said the optics of having NOTHING TO SHOW on the opening day roster for the two winter trades would be awfuly offputting.

As for me I'm seeing Logan Allen at #5 and Ortiz at #4.

Triston gets traded in a Nolan Jones/type dump trade

If Triston can yield us someone as promising as Brito, that will be a great deal. I'm afraid he wouldn't bring much in return at this point.

Yes, I assume Ortiz is No. 4 or 5 but he sure hasn't shown anything to earn it.

I omitted Parker Mushinki in bullpen considerations; he had pitched 6 scoreless innings this spring until yielding a run in his 2nd inning on the mound yesterday. He's given up 2 hits 1 walk and struck out 7.
His major league stats are nothing to be excited about; 5.45 ERA in 33 innings, 6 homers. Sometimes veterans like him and Allard have deals that require them to be released if they don't make the major league roster. If that's the case with one of them and not the other, he'll likely get the final bullpen spot.

As usual way too much weight being put on very small sample size in spring training. Ortiz has been slotted in as #2 or #3 starter since he was acquired . Injury was the only thing that was going to change that.

Unfortunately J Rodriguez could not lift the ball out of the infield with the Guardians.

Unfortunately J Rodriguez could not lift the ball out of the infield with the Guardians.

Let's hope Noel doesn't strike out 1 in every 2.4 at bats in Cleveland.
Plate discipline leaves a LOT to be desired
39 at bats this spring, 0 walks, 16 strikeouts.

Joe, seems you have a problem with Noel.

Noel is far from a polished everyday player. We'll see how he holds up in year two. Lack of selectivity is a major worry for any hitter. Guardians put a premium on that. I hope for the best from him and for JRod and everyone on our club!

Guardians Prospective
@CleGuardPro
Cleveland #Guardians transactions:

Optioned to Columbus

OF Johnathan Rodriguez
INF Juan Brito
INF/OF Angel Martínez

Assigned to Minor League camp

RHP Luis Frías
RHP Bradley Hanner
RHP Zak Kent
1B/OF Micah Pries

The 2 effective lefties, Allard and Mushinski, informed that they will not be added to the 26 man roster. Still possiblity could go on the Cleveland 40 man roster but they have opportunity to find other jobs first.

It appears Allen will join Ortiz at the back of the rotation with McKenzie and perhaps Cantillo in the pen, if Walters is not deemed ready

LATEST INJURIES

1B Kyle Manzardo
Injury: Left shoulder inflammation
Expected return: Day to day
Status: Manzardo was scratched from the lineup on March 21 for precautionary reasons. (Last updated: March 21)

LHP Erik Sabrowski
Injury: Left elbow inflammation
Expected return: April or May
Status: Has extended his throwing distance to 90 feet. (Last updated: March 19)

RHP Slade Cecconi
Injury: Mild left oblique strain
Expected return: April or May
Status: Will be sidelined for Opening Day. Has started a return-to-throw program after last appearing in a Cactus League game on March 7. (Last updated: March 18)

RHP Shane Bieber
Injury: Right UCL tear
Expected return: Midseason 2025
Status: Has progressed to throwing multiple bullpen sessions per week while extending throwing distance to 135 feet. (Last updated: March 14)

RHP Trevor Stephan
Injury: Right UCL reconstruction surgery
Expected return: 2025
Status: Has progressed to throwing multiple bullpen sessions per week. (Last updated: March 14)

UTL David Fry
Injury: Right UCL revision
Expected return: Summer 2025
Status: Continues to respond well to his rehab and cleared for dry swings in his return to hitting progression. (Last updated: March 12)

LHP John Means
Injury: Left elbow UCL surgery recovery
Expected return: Late 2025
Status: Has extended throwing distance to 75-90 feet. (Last updated: March 12)

RHP Franco Aleman
Injury: Inguinal hernia
Expected return: Late March to early April
Status: Progressed to a weighted ball program in his recovery from Feb. 26 surgery. (Last updated: March 6)

LHP Sam Hentges
Injury: Left shoulder
Expected return: 2026
Status: Threw with a baseball on March 6 for the first time since his September 2024 surgery, extending to 45 feet. (Last updated: March 6)

OF Chase DeLauter (Guardians' No. 2 prospect, No. 36 overall)
Injury: Core muscle surgery
Expected return: May or June
Status: Suffered core muscle injury doing pregame defensive work on Feb. 28. Evaluation confirmed presence of sports hernia; underwent bilateral core muscle repair to also stabilize right side. Expected to miss eight to 12 weeks. (Last updated: March 4) More >>

RHP Nic Enright
Injury: Right lat strain
Expected return: April
Status: Enright threw bullpen sessions on Feb. 28 and March 4 after he extended his throwing distance to 135 feet earlier in the month. He is projected for a full return to game activity in April. (Last updated: March 4)

RHP Daniel Espino
Injury: Right shoulder capsule and rotator cuff
Expected return: Late 2025
Status: He has extended his throwing distance to 120 feet. (Last updated: Feb. 25)

OF George Valera
Injury: Right patellar tendon repair
Expected return: Early 2025
Status: Added throwing and hitting into his progression. Expected to begin taking batting practice the week of Feb. 24 and

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