The Guardians have informed reporters, including Zack Meisel of The Athletic, that right-hander Cal Quantrill has landed back on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder inflammation. Right-hander Cody Morris was recalled to take his roster spot.
It’s been a challenging year for Quantrill, who posted a 5.61 ERA through the end of May and then landed on the IL due to shoulder inflammation. He returned a week ago and made two more starts but was shelled for 11 earned runs over 7 2/3 innings in those, raising his season ERA to 6.45 and now landing back on the IL due to the same shoulder ailment.
He’s proven himself quite capable of being a solid starter when healthy, as he tossed 336 innings over 2021 and 2022 with a 3.16 ERA. He only struck out 18% of batters faced in that time but kept his walks to a 6.8% clip and got grounders on 42.6% of balls in play.
There’s been a few twists in the Cleveland rotation this year, with Quantrill’s struggles as well as those of Zach Plesac, who has been outrighted off the roster. Triston McKenzie has also been injured for most of the season. That’s forced them to turn to prospects like Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams and Logan Allen as the season has gone along, slotting those youngsters next to Shane Bieber and Aaron Civale. The club’s starters as a whole have a 4.35 ERA that’s 15th in the league but enough to keep them afloat in a weak division. Their 42-44 record puts them just two games back of the Twins in the American League Central. When Quantrill came off the IL last week, Allen was optioned to the minors and could perhaps be recalled to retake his rotation spot after the upcoming All-Star break.
The club’s status over the next few weeks will make them an interesting player as the August 1 deadline approaches. They have frequently traded players, especially pitchers, as they get into their arbitration years and become more expensive. Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer and Mike Clevinger have all been traded in recent years and replaced by younger and cheaper hurlers from within. With the emergence of Williams, Bibee and Allen, it’s been speculated that the club could look to move someone like Bieber or Civale for more offense at this year’s deadline. Though the Guardians are still in contention, so few clubs are clear sellers this year that swaps between contenders might become a common theme.
The Guards will have a few weeks to assess Quantrill’s health, but it may have an impact on their willingness to move someone from their rotation in such a deal. Earlier today, MLBTR published a list of the top 50 deadline trade candidates and listed Bieber and Civale in the #8 and the #20 spots, respectively, though that was before the news of Quantrill’s return to the IL.
Guardians announce Cal Quantrill to the Lake County Captains.
It’s hard to play when your shoulders bothering you, but idk when he got hurt. He’s actually pretty decent usually. I love when a guy that doesn’t strike a lot out gets a shot nowadays. Those type of pitchers are every bit as capable as ever but they hardly get a chance. If they are good it’s called luck. I get you don’t necessarily want them pitching a big game but if they debut and are bad at age 24 for five starts they are sent down forever. It’s bias. When will we see a sort of “moneyball” reevaluation of talent in this direction?
I was at the game last night. He is not good
He’s had 2…..MAYBE 3 decent starts this year, but everything else has been a struggle. He wasn’t good at all in the WBC and that carried over. Like with Plesac, they’re gonna have to send him down and hope he figures it out. He has very little trade value unless they package him with someone who does, and I don’t even know who that would be at this point.
Like plesac he isn’t getting many swings and misses. He has to be perfect to succeed. At full strength he’s their 7th best rotation option. I believe someone would take Quantrill but the return would be minimal.
Man them Guardians pitchers sure are guarding that IL
The Braves are sending pitcher to the IL or getting them DFA’d with regularity the last month or so.
Exacky, Smacky!
Rub some dirt… err… maple syrup in it!
Last year after the purge everything seemed to go Cleveland’s way. This year’s worm has turned.
Bummer for Quant and Cleveland. He was solid the last two seasons. When he is healthy, he is not a bad guy to have in the middle of your rotation.
This has to impact the likelihood of a Bieber trade.. seems that Cleveland can only afford to trade Bieber if they are overwhelmed with an offer. That doesn’t seem too likely.
Ya, I think it isn’t likely that the Guardians will trade a pitcher of any substance this summer. With Bieber underperforming and McKenzie and Quantrill on the shelf it wouldn’t make sense to make a move.
I think it is not impossible that they might make a short-term move for a bat if it isn’t too expensive.
No, his value isn’t what it used to be. Lately he’ll have a solid start followed by an implosion, then an excellent start followed by a disaster. He’s lost his consistency this year.
Still think Bieber gets traded
His value is down unfortunately. They probably don’t want to pay the tab on his salary next year so that would make some sense. Bibee, Allen, Mckenzie, Civale, and Williams are the likely starting 5 next year.
Obviously Bieber would’ve brought an absolute haul back if they dealt him last year. They’ll get interesting prospects but def not the same package that could’ve been had.