How David Fry's updated role could help him be the Guardians' secret weapon in 2026

Fryday.

By Nicholas Anderson

2 hours ago

As we inch closer to Opening Day, most of the talk around the Guardians has been about the young guns and battle in the starting rotation. But if you want to know who the real X-Factor could be for the Guardians in 2026, look no further than David Fry.

After a 2025 season that felt like a series of unfortunate events that started with recovery from Tommy John surgery and ended with a scary hit-by-pitch that caused multiple facial fractures, Fry is finally healthy. And a healthy version of Fry changes everything for Guardians manager Stephen Vogt.

David Fry could end up re-finding his All-Star form for the Guardians in 2026
The All-Star pedigree

While it's easy to let Fry's tough, injury-plagued season from last year cloud you memory, don't forget that Fry was an All-Star in 2024. When he’s right, he is a menace at the plate.

In his breakout season, he posted a .804 OPS and was one of the best hitters in baseball against left-handed pitching, slugging nearly .600 against southpaws.

Last year, he was limited exclusively to playing at designated hitter and pinch-hitting thanks to offseason Tommy John surgery. He was pressing and trying to produce while essentially playing one-handed.

That's not the case this season, as he's back and ready to move all around the diamond. Vogt has already noted that Fry's throw-downs and back-picks from behind the plate look as strong as ever. Getting that All-Star bat back in a rhythm is the exact kind of internal addition this lineup desperately needed.

The Ultimate positional luxury

What makes Fry a secret weapon isn't just the bat; it’s the fact that he’s a human swiss army knife. Now that he’s a full season removed from elbow surgery, he is reclaiming his status as the most versatile player on the roster.

He can play behind the dish, and has been concentrating on catching this spring so he can be a high-level backup option for Bo Naylor.

He can also play at the corners, and is a natural at first base and third base. He can also play the corner outfield spots in a pinch.

This isn't just about versatility for versatility's sake. By having a guy who can legitimately catch and play the field, the Guardians gain a hidden roster spot. It allows them the luxury of carrying an extra pitcher without sacrificing bench depth.

Leadership and grit

In a clubhouse filled with 23 and 24-year-olds, Fry’s veteran presence is massive. He’s a guy who has gone through some stuff in his career, and that perspective is invaluable for the rookies.

He’s the ultimate glue guy. He doesn't complain about his role; he just asks where his glove is. Whether he’s pinch-hitting in a high-leverage spot or giving Naylor a day off behind the plate, Fry is the piece that makes all the other moves possible.

The bottom line

If Fry returns to his 2024 form, the Guardians' offense (which struggled mightily against lefties last year) gets an immediate, massive boost. He is the secret weapon that makes this roster deep, flexible, and dangerous.

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Guardians could lose 2 useful players after setting 2026 Opening Day roster

6h · Henry Palattella

The Cleveland Guardians 2026 Opening Day roster is here. And although there aren’t any huge surprises, Cleveland’s front office still had to make some big decisions around some key roster battles.

The biggest two roster battles came in the form of the final bullpen spot and last two spots in the outfield which went to Colin Holderman, Angel Martínez and CJ Kayfus, respectively. The Athletic's Zack Mesiel was among those to relay the news on social media.

The Guardians decision to roll with those three players means that outfielder Stuart Fairchild and reliever Kolby Allard are both on the outside, which could result in the Guardians losing either player to another team over the next 48 hours

Kolby Allard and Stuart Fairchild won’t make the Guardians’ Opening Day roster

While the Guardians didn’t remove either player from their roster since they’re both on spring training deals, MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins reported yesterday that they both have upward mobility clauses in their contracts that gives them the chance to see opportunities with another team if they weren’t added to the Guardians’ roster.

They’ll both now have that chance, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if either of them get scooped up by another team thanks to what they could bring to the table.

The Guardians’ signed Fairchild to a minor league contract right around Christmas, and he hit .222 with one home run in 10 games with the Guardians this spring while also playing for Chinese Taipei in the World Baseball Classic.

While he showcased a stunning amount of pop in the WBC with two home runs in four games, his value is in his legs and contact approach. He would have been the fourth outfielder in the Guardians’ outfield, and could be scooped up by another team to fill that exact role.

This is the second straight spring that Allard’s been in camp with the Guardians, and it’s the second straight spring that he’s not going to break camp with Cleveland.

Last year Allard spent the first four weeks of the season at Triple-A before the Guardians called him up at the end of April. That kicked off a prosperous partnership where Allard turned in a career-best 2.63 ERA in 65 innings while pitching in a variety of roles.

That wasn’t enough for him to stick on the roster in the offseason, as the Guardians outrighted him off their roster following the season. He elected free agency and eventually reunited with the Guardians on a minor league contract later in the offseason.

He had a 4.05 ERA in 13 1/3 innings this spring and was briefly getting stretched out to work as a starter, but he eventually shifted back to a bullpen role.

Allard seemed to have a leg up on Holderman thanks to the fact the Guardians open the season with 13 games in 14 days, but Cleveland’s front office ended up going with Holderman (who they signed to a one-year, $1.5 million contact in the offseason) and Codi Heuer, who they added to the 40-man roster over the weekend and subsequently sent to Triple-A.

While these moves aren’t a guarantee that both players could end up leaving Cleveland (Allard stayed with the Guardians after being DFA’d last July and returned to the big league roster less than a week later), but they’ll both get a chance to explore the free agency landscape.

And if they do get scooped up, they both have a chance to turn into a player who could haunt Guardians fans.


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Austin Hedges’ injury should open door to surprise Guardians promotion

By Henry Palattella

11 hours ago

The end of spring training is always a bit of a scary time in baseball.

While it’s mostly a time of hype and excitement thanks to the start of the regular season being so close, it also is a time when most teams would prefer to wrap their players in bubble wrap so they can stay healthy for that start of the season.

The Guardians found that out the hard way on Monday night when catcher Austin Hedges left in the ninth inning of their penultimate spring training game after being hit on the hand by a 93.1 mile per hour sinker from Arizona pitcher Casey Anderson.

Hand injuries are no joke for any MLB player, they’re really no joke for catchers since that’s such a demanding position physically. And, with the start of the season a little less than 48 hours away, the Guardians are at a point where they may need to rush to replace Hedges’ spot on the roster.

And if they do need to replace Hedges, there’s one move that stands out above the others: Call up catcher Cooper Ingle.

Cooper Ingle could be the Guardians’ catcher of the future

Hedges’ injury could have a huge ripple effect across the Guardians’ roster since Bo Naylor and Hedges are the only catchers on the team’s 40-man roster.

While the Guardians wouldn’t be in as dire of a situation as other teams thanks to David Fry’s ability to play catcher, this will be his first time working as a catcher since midway through the 2024 season. It would be smart to have some insurance alongside him.

Enter Ingle, who is entering the season as the No. 99 prospect in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline.

Ingle played in 120 games last season across Double-A and Triple-A, where he slashed .260/.389/.419 with 10 home runs, 55 RBI. He also walked 86 times compared to 85 strikeouts, marking the third straight season he finished with more walks than strikeouts.

He’s clearly a talented hitter, and he wouldn’t need to be in the lineup everyday since Naylor is clearly the top catching option. No need to worry about Ingle getting exposed night in and night out.

That role could end up being a reason they don’t call him up, however, as the Guardians have shown a penchant in the past for not calling up top prospects until they can get everyday playing time.

As such, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Guardians call Dom Nuñez up instead. Nuñez spent a week on the Guardians’ roster last year and appeared in two games while Hedges was on the concussion injured list.

He’s the stereotypical “break glass in case of emergency” catcher who the team has no problem adding (and subsequently removing) from the 40-man roster.

Adding Ingle to the roster would be an incredible swing that would start his big league timeline and make him a permanent addition to the 40-man roster.

It would be an aggressive move, but it may be a move that they have to make later this summer if Ingle starts the season hot. Why not get started on it now?

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Results Are In For Austin Hedges’ Injury

March 24, 2026

By Mike Battaglino

The Cleveland Guardians will enter Opening Day with a large piece of good news. The hand injury suffered by Austin Hedges in the next-to-last spring training game is not serious, and the backup catcher could avoid a trip to the injured list.

That means the Guardians might be able to bypass some unexpected juggling of their 26-man roster before beginning the season against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday. Hedges is one of three catchers Cleveland is expected to carry, including starter Bo Naylor and David Fry.

According to Mason Horodyski, following X-rays, the Guardians updated Hedges’ status and are listing him as day-to-day.

“Austin Hedges had an X-ray this morning that came up negative. He is day-to-day with a bone bruise, per Guardians Chris Antonetti,” Horodyski posted on X.

A bone bruise avoids the worst-case scenario, which would have been some type of fracture, likely to the hamate bone, in Hedges’ hand. He was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks and could have been facing an extended absence.

The Guardians did not announce a corresponding roster move, so Hedges will likely remain on the team to open the season. With Fry available to back up Naylor, Hedges can take a couple of days off, if needed, to get back to full strength.

The return of Fry is critical to this scenario. After not being able to play the field last season while recovering from elbow surgery, he showed early in spring training that he could return to his duties behind the plate with no issues.

Naylor is expected to get the bulk of the playing time again this season after his breakthrough offensive performance in last year’s pennant race. With the Guardians counting on internal improvement to boost their offense, Naylor could be one of their key players this season.

Hedges is entering his 12th major league season, his fifth overall with Cleveland and third in a row after playing elsewhere in 2023. He is considered a defensive specialist, as he has a lifetime batting average of under .200.

But he has proven to be a reliable and effective player under manager Stephen Vogt, who fortunately will be able to count on him again moving forward.

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Guardians make 26-man roster official ahead of Thursday’s season opener in Seattle

Updated: Mar. 25, 2026, 4:56 p.m.|Published: Mar. 25, 2026, 1:19 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

SEATTLE — MLB approved the Guardians’ 26-man roster on Wednesday before their season opener Thursday night against Seattle at T-Mobile Park.

To reach the 26-man limit, the front office had to make some late adjustments including designating for assignment outfielder Johnathan Rodriguez. They needed Rodriguez’s spot on the roster to add Rhys Hoskins, who came to camp in February on a minor league deal.

In other moves, right-handers Andrew Walters (right lat) and Hunter Gaddis (right forearm) were placed on the 15-day injured list. Outfielder George Valera (left calf) was placed on the 10-day injured list.

The IL moves for Walters and Gaddis were retroactive to Sunday.

Left-hander Kolby Allard, right-hander Ben Lively, outfielder Stuart Fairchild and catcher Dom Nunez were re-assigned to the minors. Lively is still recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

The Guardians drafted Rodriguez in 2017 out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico. He made his big-league debut in 2024 but never showed the power he did in the minors where he hit 114 home runs in his career.

Hoskins, who spent the last two years with Milwaukee, hit .282 (11 for 39) with three homer, 10 RBI and a .968 OPS this spring for the Guardians.

Here’s how the 26-man roster breaks down:

Starting rotation (5): Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Slade Cecconi, Joey Cantillo and Parker Messick.

Bullpen (8): Cade Smith, Shawn Armstrong, Connor Brogdon, Matt Festa, Tim Herrin, Peyton Pallette, Erik Sabrowski and Colin Holderman.

Catcher (3): Bo Naylor, David Fry and Austin Hedges.

Infielders and DH (7): Kyle Manzardo, Brayan Rocchio, Jose Ramirez, Gabriel Arias, Daniel Schneemann, CJ Kayfus and Hoskins.

Outfielders (3): Steven Kwan, Angel Martinez and Chase DeLauter.

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The Guardians’ opening month schedule is an absolute nightmare — will they survive the gauntlet?

By Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians are about to find out — fast — if they’re ready for 2026.

Not in the abstract. Not in a carefully managed Arizona exhibition game where starters throw two innings and everyone’s at the pool by noon. This is the real thing. And the schedule Cleveland drew to open the 2026 MLB season is one of the most punishing opening gauntlets in recent memory.

On the latest episode of the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, beat reporters Joe Noga and Paul Hoynes laid out exactly what the Guardians are walking into — and they pulled absolutely no punches.

Noga set the tone immediately, and the bar he set should stop every Cleveland fan in their tracks.

“This is by no means a cakewalk,” Noga said. “If the Guardians make it through the end of April, based on the opponents that they’ve got on the schedule right now with their heads above water, they’ve done a tremendous job.”

Head above water. That is the bar. Not building a division lead. Not making a statement. Just staying alive through April would qualify as a legitimate achievement given what this team is about to face.

Hoynes, who has covered this franchise through decades of highs and lows and seen his share of brutal schedules, wasn’t offering any false comfort.

“This is a really tough opening month,” he said. “This opening road trip against Seattle and the Dodgers. Then they come home for the home opener against the Cubs.”

Seattle. The Dodgers. The Cubs. Three playoff teams in a row just to crack open the season. If you thought it leveled off from there, think again. Hoynes went down the full list — and reading it feels like staring directly into the abyss.

“Kansas City, which has made a lot of improvements over the last two years and is really young, always plays Cleveland well,” Hoynes said. “Then you go to Atlanta, a traditionally strong team. Then they come home to face Baltimore, who spent millions this offseason on improving their roster. And then Houston, who has always given Cleveland a tough time. You go on the road to Toronto, who played that great World Series against LA, and then you end with Tampa Bay, another tough team.”

Count them up. Seattle. The Dodgers. The Cubs. Kansas City. Atlanta. Baltimore. Houston. Toronto. Tampa Bay.

That is not a schedule. That is a gauntlet with no emergency exits.

And the quality of the opposition goes beyond the names on the marquee. The Dodgers alone could give Cleveland fits. By the time the Guardians arrive in Los Angeles, they’ll be staring down Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto — the World Series MVP — in a three-game series.

Cleveland caught a brief glimpse of what facing Sasaki looks like this spring when Kyle Manzardo unloaded a grand slam against him in an exhibition game. That’s spring training. The Dodgers in April with the lights on is an entirely different conversation.

Every single opponent on this opening stretch is either a defending playoff team, a projected division winner, or a franchise that has invested aggressively to compete in 2026. There are no gimmes. There are no gentle opponents to find your footing against. Cleveland has to be ready from pitch one.

What makes this storyline even more layered is the additional complexity the Guardians are carrying into this stretch. They’ll be managing Chase DeLauter’s workload, integrating new pieces, and watching young players take their first steps in a full-time big-league role — all while going toe-to-toe with the sport’s elite every single night.

Manager Stephen Vogt acknowledged the challenge with characteristic levelheadedness, noting that every team plays the same 162-game schedule. He’s right. But there’s a difference between knowing that intellectually and surviving this kind of opening stretch in real time, in front of a Cleveland fanbase hungry for answers.

As Noga and Hoynes made clear on the podcast, if the Guardians can keep their heads above water through April, the schedule softens — and that’s when this team, loaded with talent and built to win, can truly start to fly. But none of that matters until they get through what’s coming first.

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‘If he’s on the bubble, we should all be on the bubble’: The shocking truth about Angel Martínez’s Opening Day roster spot

Published: Mar. 25, 2026, 12:32 p.m.

By Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Angel Martínez did everything right. He came into spring training locked in, swinging with authority, making plays, stealing bases — doing all the things a player does when he’s desperate to prove he belongs at the highest level. He put together one of the most dominant offensive springs a fringe roster candidate has ever had.

And he almost didn’t make the Guardians’ Opening Day roster.

Let that sink in.

The full story of how Martínez went from the hottest bat in camp to one of the last names announced on the 26-man roster is exactly the kind of thing that reminds you just how unforgiving this sport truly is. On the latest episode of the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, beat reporters Joe Noga and Paul Hoynes dug into the details — and what they uncovered was both stunning and deeply revealing about how roster decisions actually get made in Major League Baseball.

Noga set the table by laying out just how dominant Martínez actually was this spring.

“Hitting .356 with an 1.196 OPS and about a dozen extra base hits and he was still that close to not making the roster?” an incredulous Noga asked.

A .356 average. An OPS north of 1.100. Thirteen extra base hits. In almost any other scenario, numbers like that are a first-class ticket directly onto the roster — no questions asked, no deliberations required. Instead, Martínez was on the bubble, sweating out roster decisions, playing in the final spring training game like his career was on the line.

Because in a very real sense, it was.

Hoynes, never one to mince words, cut right to the heart of it.

“It just shows you how cruel this game can be,” Hoynes said, “If he’s on the bubble, we should all be on the bubble after the camp he had.”

Baseball is a cruel game. That phrase gets thrown around a lot, but it hits differently when you apply it to a player who literally did everything asked of him and still wasn’t guaranteed a spot. If Angel Martínez — with that spring — was sweating it out, then what does it take?

The answer lies in the cold arithmetic of roster construction. This wasn’t really about Martínez at all. It was about the pieces around him and a front office chess match that played out over weeks of careful deliberation. Specifically, the decision to keep outfielder CJ Kayfus on the roster over Stuart Fairchild created a ripple effect that nearly swept Martínez off the roster entirely.

Noga explained the behind-the-scenes maneuvering.

“Fairchild was the odd man out in the outfield competition,” he said. “We both thought that he had a really good chance at making the roster because he swings the bat from the right-hand side of the plate and he’s so versatile in the outfield. But the Guardians decided to stay with Kayfus and not have to make another move on the 40 man roster.”

One 40-man roster maneuver. That’s the margin separating a roster that includes Martínez from one that might not. The Guardians chose to avoid the organizational chess move required to protect Fairchild, which meant Kayfus stayed, which shifted the pressure onto the final outfield spot — and Martínez, despite his brilliance at the plate, got caught in the crossfire of roster math that had nothing to do with his performance.

It speaks to something fundamental about how MLB rosters get built. Raw performance matters enormously — but so do roster rules, positional depth, handedness balance, minor league options, and 40-man construction. The game within the game is just as complicated as what happens between the chalk lines.

And through all of it, Martínez kept playing like his job wasn’t safe — because it wasn’t. He opened that final spring training game with a single and immediately stole second base. Still grinding. Still proving. Still refusing to give the front office an easy reason to leave him off the bus.

They couldn’t do it. Angel Martínez made the team. The Guardians are better for it.

But this conversation is a vivid reminder that in baseball, doing everything right still might not be enough. The roster is a living document governed by rules and restrictions that extend far beyond what any player can control on the field.

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Guardians could catch early 2026 break as Dodgers' rotation issues take center stage

By Henry Palattella

1 hour ago

The Cleveland Guardians won’t get any time to ease into the 2026 season thanks to a season-opening road trip with series against the Mariners and Dodgers.

While April doesn’t determine whether a team is going to make the postseason, a rough start can put a team in a hole that’s incredibly tough to crawl out of (see last year’s Atlanta Braves).

But the Guardians appear to have caught a much-needed break when it comes to their series against the Dodgers thanks to starter Roki Sasaki’s recent struggles.

Sasaki took the ball for the Dodgers on Monday in Los Angeles’ penultimate spring training game and had a disastrous start where he allowed five earned runs and six walks over two innings of work. He only managed to throw 32 of his 66 pitches for strikeouts.

He left the Dodgers’ game against the Angels midway through the first inning after giving up three straight walks and not recording an out. He returned again in the second inning (pitchers are allowed to re-enter games during spring training) and was removed after allowing a leadoff walk in the fourth inning.

Although Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was adamant after the game that Sasaki will take the mound for Los Angeles in their series opener against the Guardians next Monday, it’s clear that the 24-year-old starter isn’t in the best place mentally ahead of the start.

The Guardians won’t be seeing Roki Sasaki at his best in series against Dodgers

Sasaki finished the spring with an unsightly 15.58 ERA in 8 2/3 innings, which has led to some calls that the young starter should begin the season in the minors as opposed to on Los Angeles’ big league rotation.

The Dodgers signed Sasaki last offseason in the hopes that he could be the next great starter in their vaunted rotation. Instead he only made eight shaky starts for the Dodgers before going on the injured list with right shoulder impingement.

He ended up returning at the end of the season and pitched well out of the bullpen, but Dodgers brass made the decision to move him back to the starting rotation this season. And it hasn’t gone well so far.

Part of the reason for that decision is because of the lack of depth in that rotation, as Blake Snell and Gavin Stone are going to start the season on the injured list while fellow starter River Ryan is working his way back from Tommy John.

After the start, The Athletic’s Katie Woo reported the Dodgers are planning on having long reliever Justin Wrobleski available in the bullpen to soak up some innings behind Sasaki, but it’s clear the Guardians are going to get a chance to face off against the defending champions when they’re not going to be at their best.

The Guardians need to take advantage.

The good news for Cleveland is that they have a lineup led by pesky hitters like Steven Kwan and José Ramírez who can both frustrate pitchers by fouling off a lot of pitches. That’s the kind of approach the Guardians are going to need to take against a clearly wounded Sasaki.

It may only be one game in March, but it’s the kind of game that could set the tone for the rest of the season, espically since they're going to go against Shohei Ohtani the next night.

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What's in store for the Guardians in 2026?

12:25 PM CDT

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Chris Antonetti is not in the business of comparing this Guardians team with that from last spring. But Cleveland’s president of baseball operations is looking forward to the upcoming season getting underway.

“What I would say is I'm excited about the group we have,” Antonetti said Tuesday. “We know it's a young roster that will need to continue to develop and perform at the same time at the Major League level. But it's a group that has great potential. Now it's on us to help support them, to help them achieve that.

“Each guy in that locker room, I know, is committed to getting the most out of themselves. I hope if they are able to do that, then that will lead to a productive season for us.”

The Guardians had a quiet offseason while embracing giving opportunity to the young and up-and-coming players in their organization. Opening Day is around the corner, on Thursday at 10:10 p.m. ET against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Let’s take a look at what the upcoming season could have in store for Cleveland.

What Needs to Go Right? The offense taking a step

There's no secrets here. The Guardians need more offensive production than they received in 2025, when they won the AL Central title despite their lineup's collective struggles. Cleveland's pitching staff gives it a good foundation, and the addition of first baseman Rhys Hoskins should help. But the success of this season will be determined by whether returning hitters take a step forward, and the contributions the club receives from promising up-and-comers such as Chase DeLauter (Cleveland's No. 2 prospect and No. 46 overall, per MLB Pipeline), George Valera, CJ Kayfus and others.

Great Unknown: Middle infield production

What will the Guardians get offensively from their middle infield? They're running it back with shortstop Gabriel Arias and second baseman Brayan Rocchio to start the season, and while the two were a stellar defensive combination in 2025, they logged a .637 and a .630 OPS, respectively. The Guardians are hoping for players such as those two taking a step forward at the plate in ‘26. But they also have second baseman Travis Bazzana (MLB Pipeline's No. 20 overall prospect) waiting in the wings in Triple-A, vying to make an impact in the Majors.

Team MVP Will Be: José Ramírez

Who else? Ramírez is a franchise icon and the centerpiece to the Guardians’ success. He has remained both stellar and durable, and the engine that drives this team. Cleveland hopes its young talent will help uplift the lineup’s production this season. But as Ramírez (who signed a seven-year contract extension in January) enters his age-33 season, the Guardians will need him to continue leading the way. It could be a milestone year for him, too. Ramírez is on the cusp of becoming only the ninth player in MLB history with 300 career home runs and 300 stolen bases.

Team Cy Young Will Be: Gavin Williams

And he could wind up receiving votes for the AL Cy Young Award, too. Williams had a slow start to 2025 plagued by command issues. He tinkered with his mechanics and pitch mix on the fly, and locked things in to emerge as a force atop the Guardians' rotation. Williams logged a 2.18 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP over 12 starts after the All-Star break, the former of which was tied with Tarik Skubal for second in the Majors behind only Paul Skenes (1.89). Williams had a breakout second half, and it could pave the way for a breakout season.

Bold Prediction: Joey Cantillo will be an All-Star

Williams made a big jump last year, and Cantillo could follow suit this season. The lefty had a bumpy 2025 in which he was jockeyed between the Majors and Minors, and the bullpen and starting rotation. He was elite in September as part of the Guardians' six-man rotation (1.55 ERA in 29 innings over five starts). Cantillo entered this spring with a refreshed demeanor and a refined arsenal, and could take a significant leap this summer.

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Guardians Designate Johnathan Rodríguez For Assignment

By Darragh McDonald | at March 25, 2026 11:39am CDT

The Guardians have designated outfielder Johnathan Rodríguez for assignment, per Zack Meisel of The Athletic. That opens a 40-man spot for first baseman Rhys Hoskins. It was reported a few days ago that the Guards would be selecting Hoskins to the Opening Day roster.

Rodríguez, now 26, was a third-round draft pick out of Puerto Rico back in 2017. He went unselected in the 2022 Rule 5 draft but then had a strong 2023 season, hitting 29 home runs in the minors. Cleveland didn’t want to risk exposing him in the Rule 5 again, so they added him to their 40-man roster in November of 2023.

Since that time, he has continued putting up huge numbers in the minors but hasn’t translated it to the majors. In 117 big league plate appearances, he has a dismal .176/.282/.304 line. His 12.8% walk rate is strong but he also struck out at a 30.8% clip.

At the Triple-A level over the past two years, he has stepped to the plate 881 times with 45 homers, a 12.1% walk rate, 24.3% strikeout rate, .305/.393/.529 line and 143 wRC+. His scouting report from Baseball America suggests this is a Pedro Cerrano situation. Rodríguez struggles against spin so big league pitchers just don’t throw him fastballs, which accounts for the big split in his major and minor league numbers.

He now heads into DFA limbo, which can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Guards could take five days to explore trade interest. Rodríguez does still have one option remaining, so he could appeal to clubs looking for some outfield depth. If he is eventually put on waivers and clears, he would stick with Cleveland as non-roster depth. He doesn’t have three years of service time nor does he have a previous career outright. That means he wouldn’t have the right to reject an outright assignment in favor of electing free agency.

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Insider Reveals Guardians’ Biggest Unknown

March 25, 2026

By Justin Hussong

The Cleveland Guardians’ official Opening Day roster has been set, and there aren’t many surprises on it as the cream rose to the top during camp. There were a few battles for roster spots in the starting rotation and in the outfield, but the team is in good hands and well-equipped to make a run at another playoff berth.

Parker Messick made the starting rotation and both Chase DeLauter and CJ Kayfus made the Opening Day roster as well. They are all representative of the young upside sprinkled all throughout the roster, but one insider still believes there is a “big unknown” on the roster outside of the rotation and the outfield.

MLB.com recently put out an article featuring each team’s beat writer discussing each team’s biggest unknown heading into the season. Tim Stebbins believes Cleveland’s is the production from the middle infield.

“GUARDIANS: Middle infield production,” Stebbins wrote. “What will the Guardians get offensively from their middle infield? They’re running it back with shortstop Gabriel Arias and second baseman Brayan Rocchio to start the season, and while the two were a stellar defensive combination in 2025, they logged a .637 and a .630 OPS, respectively. The Guardians are hoping for players such as those two taking a step forward at the plate in ‘26. But they also have second baseman Travis Bazzana (MLB Pipeline’s No. 20 overall prospect) waiting in the wings in Triple-A, vying to make an impact in the Majors.”

Stebbins raises a great point, and that’s that Rocchio and Arias have a potential world-beater breathing down their necks if they don’t hit more than they did last season. If they both continue to produce an OPS under .650, the former first overall pick will be up here much sooner than many expected.

Cleveland’s outfield production was so bad last year that Arias and Rocchio’s lack of production didn’t stand out as much. With some new life in the lineup from Chase DeLauter, CJ Kayfus, George Valera, Rhys Hoskins, and hopefully, an improved Angel Martinez, the middle infield will have to pull its weight too in order to avoid standing out like a sore thumb.

The moment Bazzana was drafted, the clock began ticking on Cleveland’s second basemen. That spot is waiting for him as soon as he is deemed ready, and there realistically isn’t anything Rocchio or Arias can do to fend him off.

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Guardians

Guardians’ clubhouse is loose and ready — so why are most experts picking them to finish second or third?

Published: Mar. 26, 2026, 11:55 a.m.

By Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians started their season with the kind of moment that should have every fan hyped: their backup catcher absolutely roasting teammates on live television while the entire clubhouse watched and erupted in laughter. But here’s the twist that nobody saw coming — beat reporters who witnessed that magical moment firsthand are among those predicting the Guardians miss the playoffs entirely.

On the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, Joe Noga and Paul Hoynes dove deep into the juxtaposition that’s defining Cleveland’s 2026 season before it even begins: incredible vibes versus sobering reality.

The vibes? Off the charts. Austin Hedges appeared on MLB Network’s Intentional Talk on Wednesday, and what followed was pure cinema. Hoynes, who was in the visitor’s clubhouse at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, described the scene when MLB Network hosts asked Hedges who was the smartest guy in the clubhouse:

“He goes, of course I am I’m going to say that I’m the smartest,” Hoynes recalled. “Then they asked him who’s the dumbest? And he said David Fry. Everybody was rolling. All those players were rolling around laughing.”

The retaliation was swift. Fry emptied Hedges’ locker, threw his clothes on the floor, and dumped a bucket of bubble gum inside. When Hedges walked in and surveyed the damage?

“He goes, ‘Fry did that, right?’” Hoynes said. “Everybody goes, yeah. And he goes, I deserved it. And he kept walking by. It was pretty funny.”

Noga made a compelling case for why moments like this justify Hedges’ $4 million salary despite hitting just .161 last season.

“Austin Hedges earned his paycheck in that moment right there before the first pitch of the season,” Noga said. “He went out there and let his teammates know it was okay to let their guard down and be cool and be loose and ready for the season.”

But then came the gut punch.

When the conversation turned to season predictions, Hoynes didn’t mince words.

“I’ve got them finishing second at 82- 80,” Hoynes predicted. “I love the talent on the team... I just have some reservations. They’ve made the postseason the last two years. I just don’t think it’s going to happen this season.”

Noga went even further, predicting 79-83 and a third-place finish in the AL Central.

How does a team with this much chemistry, this much young talent, and back-to-back playoff appearances suddenly fall off? The podcast makes it clear: the beat reporters covering this team daily see something missing. Despite Hoynes calling this “the best collection of hitters, young hitters that we’ve seen, you know, maybe since the mid-90s,” he wishes they’d added more to the offense.

It’s the eternal baseball paradox — vibes don’t show up in the box score, and chemistry doesn’t guarantee wins. But if you’re a Guardians fan, you’re hoping the intangibles that guys like Austin Hedges bring to a clubhouse full of talented young players trying to prove everyone wrong.<

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Guardians

Inside the brutal reality of MLB’s final roster cuts: How the Guardians handled Angel Martínez and Colin Holderman

Published: Mar. 26, 2026, 11:58 a.m.

By Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — While fans celebrate Opening Day with optimism, two Guardians players were living a nightmare scenario that lasted until literally the last possible moment. The Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast pulled back the curtain on just how brutal the final roster cut process can be, and the stories of Angel Martínez and Colin Holderman are enough to make your stomach turn.

Paul Hoynes, who’s covered the team for decades, laid out the timeline that left these players in limbo: “They didn’t tell Martínez until before the last game Tuesday in Arizona that he was on the club,” Hoynes said. “And Haldeman found out Wednesday... It makes it tough on the players.”

Think about that for a second. Martínez didn’t know he’d made the team until they were preparing for their final exhibition game. Holderman? He found out on Wednesday — after the team had already flown to Seattle to start the season. They were with the team but didn’t know if they belonged.

The podcast drew a comparison to Cade Smith’s situation in 2024, when the reliever was in Oakland with the team but unsure of his roster status while his family traveled from Canada on the chance he’d make it. That worked out spectacularly for Cleveland, as Smith became one of the best rookie relievers in baseball. But it doesn’t make the waiting game any less excruciating for the players going through it.

Hoynes empathized with the impossible position these players find themselves in: “If that was me, I don’t know if I could even talk,” Hoynes said. “You’d be walking around on eggshells.”

Hoynes said manager Stephen Vogt said when he had gone through similar situations as a player, he had one guiding principle.

“You just try to hide so maybe they can’t find you and forget about you,” Hoynes said.

That quote from Vogt perfectly captures the absurdity and anxiety of life on the roster bubble. Imagine being a professional athlete trying to literally hide from your own coaches and front office so they don’t cut you.

To be fair, Hoynes explained that the Guardians kept both players updated throughout the process.

“They were giving the players updates whenever they could, that they were on the ball club barring any last minute additions or changes,” Hoynes said.

But as Hoynes noted, that’s easy to say when you’re management. When you’re the player, every minute feels like an hour.

The podcast even revealed that Jose Ramirez — JOSE RAMIREZ — had to meet with Vogt to get his roster status confirmed.

“Hey Jose, you made it again this year,” Hoynes joked. “And Jose just smiled and said ‘Thanks.’”

At least the 13-year veteran got his notification with a side of humor.

For Martinez and Holderman, the wait is finally over. Now they just have to prove they belonged on this roster all along.

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Guardians

How the Guardians turn a 26-man roster into 27 or 28 players — and why it’s Stephen Vogt’s superpower

Published: Mar. 26, 2026, 12:02 p.m.

By Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Stephen Vogt doesn’t manage like other skippers, and the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast broke down exactly why that makes him one of the most intriguing strategists in baseball. The key? Vogt has built a roster where versatility isn’t just a nice bonus— i t’s the entire foundation of how this team operates.




Paul Hoynes explained the philosophy that’s become Vogt’s calling card: “There’s no bench players here,” Vogt said. “There’s no guy that’s going to sit for 10 days and then come in off the bench in the ninth with the winning run on third. They’re all going to play at least once a series. Some people like that, some people don’t. But it has worked for Vogt and it’s worked for this roster.”

No traditional bench players. No one riding pine for a week and a half before being asked to deliver in a high-leverage situation. Everyone gets regular reps, which means everyone stays sharp. It’s a radical departure from old-school baseball thinking, and it’s gotten Vogt to the playoffs in both of his first two seasons as a manager.

But the real game-changer this season? David Fry is healthy.

Hoynes laid out why Fry’s availability unlocks everything for Vogt: “Having a healthy David Fry as your third catcher and you can insert him at first base and maybe even in the outfield... Vogt likes to manage that way and it gives him an advantage, I believe.”

Joe Noga pressed the point, asking if this versatility was Vogt’s “superpower” as a manager. The answer seems to be yes. With Fry able to catch, play first base, and potentially slot into the outfield, Vogt essentially gets an extra roster spot. The podcast used the phrase “stretch it into maybe 27 or 28 guys” to describe how the positional flexibility creates depth that other teams can’t match.

But it’s not just position players where Vogt is getting creative. The rotation itself is being managed by matchup rather than traditional hierarchy. Hoynes explained the Opening Day shuffle: “The Guardians have kind of flip-flopped that they’ll go with Bibee and Williams in the first two games and then throw Joey Cantillo in there... They just didn’t want to throw three straight right-handers. Cantillo gives them a different look.”

Instead of going Bibee-Williams-Cecconi to start the season, Vogt and the front office inserted the left-handed Cantillo as the third starter to break up the string of righties. It’s rotation management as a chess match, using every advantage available rather than sticking to rigid conventions.

This isn’t new territory for Vogt. He’s a two-time Manager of the Year who’s proven this approach works. But 2026 represents the ultimate test. The roster is younger, the AL Central is tougher, and expectations are simultaneously sky-high and confusingly low depending on who you ask.

Noga pointed out the balance this creates: “If everybody does what they’re supposed to do, this is a balanced team,” he said. “They can attack another team based on matchups from the left and the right side.”

Can Vogt’s managing style overcome what beat reporters see as roster limitations? The podcast makes it clear that the versatility is real, the philosophy is sound, and the early vibes are exceptional. But vibes don’t win games — execution does.

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Guardians

Everybody’s chasing the Dodgers, Mariners and Yankees: See cleveland.com’s 2026 MLB picks

Updated: Mar. 26, 2026, 5:47 p.m.|Published: Mar. 26, 2026, 12:49 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.comJoe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — As the curtain rises on the 2026 Major League Baseball season, it seems the more things change, the more they stay the same.

With the Dodgers, Mets and Yankees still among the highest payrolls in the league, it should come as no surprise that most of the data available points to the big spenders moving occupying the top of the standings once again when October rolls around.

Likewise, the league’s highest-paid superstars are among the favorites to take home coveted honors including the Cy Young and MVP awards in both leagues. Another season of “can anybody upend Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge?” appears to be on tap.

Into this fray jump cleveland.com’s intrepid baseball beat writers with their predictions on how the divisional races will play out as well as who will take home the league’s top honors for rookies, managers and pitchers.

Below are 2026 predictions from Paul Hoynes and Joe Noga along with their thoughts on some of the contested races.


Divisional races, postseason

MLB 2026 picks: Joe Noga

American League

Division winners: Blue Jays, Tigers, Mariners.

Wild cards: Yankees, Red Sox, Royals.

AL championship series: Yankees over Mariners.

National League

Division winners: Mets, Cubs, Dodgers.

Wild cards: Brewers, Phillies, Padres.

NL Championship series: Dodgers over Mets.

World Series: Yankees over Dodgers.

MLB 2026 picks: Paul Hoynes

American League

Division winners: Orioles, Tigers, Mariners.

Wild cards: Yankees, Blue Jays, A’s.

AL championship series: Mariners over Blue Jays.

National League

Division winners: Mets, Brewers, Dodgers.

Wild cards: Phillies, Cubs, Padres.

NL Championship series: Dodgers over Phillies.

World Series: Mariners over Dodgers.

Hoynes on the divisional races:

The Orioles will win the rugged AL East under new manager Craig Albernaz, but this season will be about the Mariners. They won the AL West last year for the first time since 2001, and took the Blue Jays to seven games in the ALCS. This year they’ll reach the World Series for the first time. In the NL, if the Mets can just play nice with each other, they’ll win the NL East with a revamped roster. The aging Phillies, after re-signing Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, will reach the NLCS only to run into the Dodgers. The Mariners will then deny Los Angeles its third straight World Series title by winning their first.

Noga on the divisional races:

It seems like everybody in the AL East got better this offseason with Baltimore and the Blue Jays spending big while Boston maneuvered to support an exciting young lineup with even more pitching. But I still think the Yankees rise to the top and get past the Mariners in the ALCS. Judge is inevitable, and New York has a loaded bullpen to back its deep starting rotation. I’m picking the Mets to finally get their act together and win the NL East, but there’s no way they get past the Dodgers. LA rolls into the World Series where they lose a knife fight in the streets of the Bronx.


Postseason awards

MLB 2026 picks: Joe Noga

Postseason awards

American League

Rookie: Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers.
Manager: Craig Albernaz, Orioles.
Reliever: Cade Smith, Guardians.
Cy Young: Garrett Crochet, Red Sox.
MVP: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals.

National League

Rookie: Konnor Griffin, SS, Pirates.
Manager: Tony Vitello, Giants.
Reliever: Edwin Diaz, Dodgers.
Cy Young: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers.
MVP: Juan Soto, Mets.

MLB 2026 picks: Paul Hoynes

Postseason awards

American League

Rookie: Trey Yesavage, RHP, Blue Jays.
Manager: Dan Wilson, Mariners.
Reliever: Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox.
Cy Young: Max Fried, Yankees.
MVP: Aaron Judge, Yankees.

National League

Rookie: Nolan McLean, RHP, Mets.
Manager: Dave Roberts, Dodgers.
Reliever: Mason Miller, Padres.
Cy Young: Logan Webb, Giants.
MVP: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers.

Hoynes on individual awards:

We could switch it up and name someone else besides Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani as AL and NL MVPs, respectively, but who would believe it? Trey Yesavage almost pitched the Blue Jays to the World Series last year and he’s still a rookie. Meanwhile, Aroldis Chapman is still slamming doors at 36. Despite all the success the Dodgers have had, David Roberts has been named manager of the year just once. It’s not an easy job even when you have the best roster.

Noga on individual awards:

I just can’t bring myself to write the names Ohtani and Judge anymore when it comes to MVP predictions. They’re in another class by themselves as far as I’m concerned and it’s perfectly fine to spread the wealth. Witt and Soto might have multiple MVP’s already if Ohtani and Judge were not in the picture. Crochet will pass Tarik Skubal as the best lefty in the AL, but the Dodgers boast the best in the game with Yamamoto. McGonigle could be a big reason the Tigers get back on top in the AL Central, and once Griffin arrives he is going to change everything in Pittsburgh.

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