Headlines

  • Red Sox To Promote Roman Anthony
  • Mariners Designate Leody Taveras For Assignment
  • Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.
  • Braves Designate Craig Kimbrel For Assignment
  • Corbin Burnes To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
  • Braves Select Craig Kimbrel
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2025
    • Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Guardians Shut Trevor Stephan Down For Three Weeks

By Steve Adams | February 28, 2024 at 11:29am CDT

The Guardians have shut setup man Trevor Stephan down for the next three weeks due to a deep bone bruise in his right elbow, manager Stephen Vogt announced to reporters this morning (X link via Mandy Bell of MLB.com). There’s no concern about Stephan’s ulnar collateral ligament or any structural damage in his elbow, Vogt added.

A three-week shutdown for Stephan makes a potential season-opening stint on the injured list a strong possibility — if not a likelihood. Opening Day is just one month away, and it seems as though Stephan won’t pick up a ball until we’re around eight days out from that point.

Stephan, 28, was a Rule 5 pick out of the Yankees organization heading into the 2021 season and has proven to be one of the most shrewd Rule 5 selections by any team in recent seasons. He’s pitched at least 63 innings out of the Cleveland ’pen in each of the past three seasons, saved six games and piled up 50 holds in that time. Stephan moved from low-stakes outings into a high-leverage role in 2022, and over the past two seasons he’s given the Guards 132 1/3 innings of 3.40 ERA ball with even better marks from metrics like FIP (2.90) and SIERA (3.18) thanks in large part to his excellent rate stats. Since 2022, Stephan has whiffed 28% of his opponents against a 7.8% walk rate while keeping the ball on the ground at a solid 44.6% clip.

Stephan is less than two weeks into his spring training and will now be shut down for at least 21 days. He’ll effectively be starting his spring over whenever he does resume throwing. If there are no further setbacks and the issue heals within the provided three-week window, there’s a chance he could still ramp up and be back with the big league club before the end of April, but only time will tell how his elbow mends.

Assuming Stephan is indeed out to begin the season, trade acquisition Scott Barlow will likely step up as the primary setup man to closer Emmanuel Clase. James Karinchak, Sam Hentges, Eli Morgan and Nick Sandlin could all see some extra leverage situations early in the 2024 campaign as well. In general, the Guardians have a deep bullpen that can absorb a relatively short absence for one of its top relievers to begin the season.

The depth of that relief corps is perhaps one reason the team at least listened to trade offers on Clase back in December, but a deal never seemed likely due to the closer’s remaining five years of affordable control under the terms of the extension he signed in 2022. Clase is guaranteed just $15MM over the next three seasons and, via a pair of club options, could earn a total of $33MM from 2024-28. Given that affordable deal, the asking price in a trade was always going to be enormous — and thus unlikely to be met. That’s become even more true as the season has drawn nearer, and an injury to Stephan even further reduces what was already a minuscule chance of a deal coming together.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Cleveland Guardians Trevor Stephan

Mason Thompson To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Main
Orioles Sign Kolten Wong To Minor League Deal
View Comments (15)
Post a Comment

15 Comments

  1. vaderzim

    1 year ago

    I hope Trevor gets the rest he needs. I trust what his manager says about his Ulnar Collateral Ligament. I believe in Stephen Vogt.

    3
    Reply
  2. SweetBabyRayKingsThickThighs

    1 year ago

    Stephen Vogt does a good Chris Farley impression.

    3
    Reply
  3. RunDMC

    1 year ago

    High-leverage RPs on high alert today. Call in sick. Brash/Stephan already. Someone check on Jason Adam and Graterol.

    Reply
  4. its_happening

    1 year ago

    Already guys going down to TJ or being shut down and it’s not March yet. Not good.

    Reply
  5. Old York

    1 year ago

    Guys need to learn to pitch and not just throw. They also need to pitch more innings and less focus on lighting up the radar gun.

    2
    Reply
    • Michael Chaney

      1 year ago

      This is a bruise. Even if this was related to his ligament (which Vogt thinks is unlikely), he’s just ramping up after the offseason. And he’s a reliever anyway.

      If you want to yell at the clouds that starters don’t pitch deep into games like they used to, go for it, but it doesn’t really apply here.

      Reply
      • Old York

        1 year ago

        @Michael Chaney

        If pitchers actually knew how to pitch instead of chucking balls, we wouldn’t need to many failed pitchers turned RPs.

        Reply
        • Michael Chaney

          1 year ago

          Most teams carry 8 relievers so they have to come from somewhere. Obviously they’re not failures lol

          I think it has more to do with ramping up the intensity after an offseason than it does with anything related to not knowing how to pitch.

          Reply
  6. In nurse follars

    1 year ago

    “If you think you have enough pitching . . . get more” – Terry Francona.

    3
    Reply
  7. User 2161944466

    1 year ago

    I don’t know what these pitchers are doing in their offseason, but they’re dropping like flies.

    1
    Reply
  8. Cohn Joppolella

    1 year ago

    Culberson is going to be a hot commodity soon!

    1
    Reply
  9. Buzzz Killington

    1 year ago

    Yankees wouldn’t mind you returning him.

    Reply
  10. Chrome 8550

    1 year ago

    Rick mahler who used to pitch for braves years ago, went 7 and 0 in his first 7 starts. When ask why he got off to hot start he said he pitched 20 innings in spring training. Starters should get 20 innings in spring training. Relief pitchers should get 10 innings, to be ready for the season. Young pitchers today are being baby by their organization, and not ready for the start of the season.

    Reply
  11. oscar gamble

    1 year ago

    Barlow was already going to be the primary set up man before Stephan’s injury.

    Reply
  12. Windowpane

    1 year ago

    Bone bruise from throwing? Sounds like somebody was horsing around and banged their elbow.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Red Sox To Promote Roman Anthony

    Mariners Designate Leody Taveras For Assignment

    Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.

    Braves Designate Craig Kimbrel For Assignment

    Corbin Burnes To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Braves Select Craig Kimbrel

    Jerry Reinsdorf, Justin Ishbia Reach Agreement For Ishbia To Obtain Future Majority Stake In White Sox

    White Sox To Promote Kyle Teel

    Sign Up For Trade Rumors Front Office Now And Lock In Savings!

    Pablo Lopez To Miss Multiple Months With Teres Major Strain

    MLB To Propose Automatic Ball-Strike Challenge System For 2026

    Giants Designate LaMonte Wade Jr., Sign Dominic Smith

    Reds Sign Wade Miley, Place Hunter Greene On Injured List

    Padres Interested In Jarren Duran

    Royals Promote Jac Caglianone

    Mariners Promote Cole Young, Activate Bryce Miller

    2025-26 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings: May Edition

    Evan Phillips To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    AJ Smith-Shawver Diagnosed With Torn UCL

    Reds Trade Alexis Díaz To Dodgers

    Recent

    Red Sox To Promote Roman Anthony

    Mariners Designate Leody Taveras For Assignment

    Red Sox Designate Robert Stock For Assignment, Select Brian Van Belle

    Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript

    Rich Hill Has June 15 Opt-Out In Royals Deal

    AJ Smith-Shawver Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

    Poll: What Will The Rangers Do At The Deadline?

    Mets Select Justin Garza

    Submit Your Questions For This Week’s Episode Of The MLBTR Podcast

    Latest On Dodgers’ Rotation

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Nolan Arenado Rumors
    • Dylan Cease Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Marcus Stroman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2024-25 Offseason Outlook Series
    • 2025 Arbitration Projections
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version