While Cleveland has long been known for its starting pitching, the rotation has been a surprisingly weak link for the first-place Guardians, and McKenzie’s 5.11 ERA in 75 2/3 innings has contributed to those struggles. McKenzie leads the way in both home runs (19) and walks (49), and his -1.0 fWAR is the lowest of any pitcher in baseball with at least 70 innings pitched. logan allen Is second on that list with a -0.5 fWAR and carlos carrasco Ranked sixth with a 0.1 fWAR, which reflects the overall rotation issues at guards.
Some rust was to be expected for McKenzie, given that he missed almost the entire 2023 season recovering from a right teres major strain and then a right UCL sprain. However, his struggles have been so severe that staying in Triple-A may be the best way for McKenzie to regain some confidence and work on control issues that were not so severe during his 2020-22 season. The former top 100 prospect looked like a pretty solid pitcher in those first big years on the show, and since he’s only 26 and still under arbitration control until 2026, The Guardian would naturally like to see McKenzie get his career back on track. Would like it.
This isn’t exactly a silver lining, but Williams’ own status gave the Guardians some leeway in selecting McKenzie, as Williams represents a ready rotation replacement. Since his rehabilitation began on May 29, the guards had to activate Williams this weekend as his 30-day rehabilitation period was about to end. After he began having trouble with his elbow during spring training, Williams began the season on the IL and slowly increased his workload in six minor league contests.
Selected 23rd overall in the 2021 draft, Williams quickly solidified his top prospect status with an impressive rookie season in 2023. The right-hander posted a 3.29 ERA in 82 innings, though the 4.61 SIERA also reflected some mediocre secondary metrics for Williams. A .270 BABIP and a 78.3% strand rate.
If Williams can deliver even something in between his 2023 ERA and SIERA during his return to the mound, the Guardians will probably be satisfied, given both their need for any kind of reliable pitching and the big-picture acceptance that Williams is right now. are also in the initial stages. Pro career. since Tanner Bibi And ben lively The Guard, who has been the only reliable member of Cleveland’s rotation, would love to get at least good work from Williams as a third starter option before seeing if any pitching help is needed at the trade deadline.
McCaughan has already allowed five home runs in 10 2/3 combined innings with the Guardians and Marlins this season, raising his ERA to 1181. In addition to extreme problems keeping the ball in the park, McCaughan had nine walks and only three strikeouts, leaving him off the Guards’ 40-man roster. A longtime member of the Mariners organization who made his MLB debut in Seattle in 2021, McCaughan was acquired by Miami in a cash-consideration deal with the Mariners in February, and then the Guardians selected him in a similar trade in May .
It’s possible McCaughan could find himself on the move again via trade or waiver claim, though the extent of his struggles may make any interested team think twice. The 28-year-old righty has a 5.50 ERA and has also allowed 10 homers in 54 Triple-A innings this season, and while McCaughan’s previous Triple-A track record has somewhat comparable bottom-line stats, those The numbers were minimal when pitching with Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
