The Guardians have informed right-handers Carlos Carrasco and Tyler Beede that they’ve made the team’s Opening Day roster, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports. Both were in camp on minor league deals. Cleveland also informed catcher David Fry and infielders Gabriel Arias, Brayan Rocchio and Tyler Freeman that they’ll open the season on the big league roster. Carrasco had an opt-out clause in his contract today but that won’t end up coming into play.
Both Carrasco and Beede will need to be formally selected to the 40-man roster before Opening Day. The Guards will need to make a pair of corresponding moves to clear space. One can be opened by placing Trevor Stephan, who’s set to undergo Tommy John surgery, on the 60-day IL, but they’ll need a second spot. The other spot could depend on the status of outfielder Myles Straw, who has been placed on waivers.
The Guards came into camp with a rotation consisting of Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie and last year’s rookies Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen and Gavin Williams. But it was reported last week that Williams will open the season on the injured list due to some right elbow discomfort, which opened a spot at the back end.
That spot will go to Carrasco, who Cleveland fans will be plenty familiar with. He pitched for the club from 2009 through 2020, before going to the Mets as part of the Francisco Lindor deal. He tossed 1,242 1/3 innings during his previous stint in Cleveland with a 3.77 earned run average.
His time in Queens has been a bit rockier. He has a 4.78 ERA over the past three years, including a mark of 6.80 last year. He had stints on the IL last year due to right elbow inflammation and a right pinky finger fracture, limiting him to 90 innings with uninspiring results. His previous Cleveland tenure resulted in a 25.5% strikeout rate and 6.3% walk rate but those numbers were at 15.8% and 9.1% with the Mets last year.
It’s a bit of a belated birthday present for Carrasco, who turned 37 yesterday. He and the Guardians will be hoping that a return to Cleveland can get him back to his old form.
Beede, 31 in May, was once a highly-touted youngster. He was selected 14th overall by the Giants back in 2014 and was considered to be a top 100 prospect as he climbed the minor league ladder. Unfortunately, he struggled in his first tastes of the majors and then required Tommy John surgery in 2020, wiping out that year and much of the next. He had a 5.14 ERA in 2022 and headed to Japan last year.
The move overseas seems to have got him back on track. He posted a 3.99 ERA for the Yomiuri Giants in 49 2/3 relief innings. That got him a minor league deal with the Guardians and he’s looked well in spring so far, with 10 2/3 innings pitched with a 1.69 ERA. That will get him back onto a big league roster via the Cleveland bullpen, though he is now out of options and will need to stick in the majors or else be made available to other clubs, either via waivers or a trade.
As for the middle infielders, Mandy Bell of MLB.com tweets that Rocchio is expected to get the bulk of shortstop reps with Arias in a utility role. The Guardians have a huge number of shortstop options, something that MLBTR’s Anthony Franco looked at last month. It’s likely a fluid situation that will evolve over time but Rocchio will get a crack at taking the job for now.
He made his major league debut last year and hit just .247/.279/.321, though in a small sample of 86 plate appearances. His Triple-A batting line was a much nicer .280/.367/.421 last year and he’ll hope to bring some of that production up to the big leagues this season.
Welcome back Cookie
Happy for Carrasco, scared for the state of the Guardians bullpen
This will likely be the battle between KC and CLE – which bullpen will hold up best?
Good for Beede he may have overcome his issues and finally keeping walks at a minimum. Good to see K rate up – it was preseason hopeful he will continue it.
I really liked Beede and had so many different moments he showed his stuff. Problem was they were just moments. Wish him luck in his career. Like the never giving up comebacks.
Cookie making it is a nice story we needed this week.
The last decision is between Will Brennan / DDLS / Estevan Florial for the last bench spot.
Will Brennan has options remaining, it makes sense to keep him in AAA and give Florial every chance to supplant Myles Straw in CF.
DDLS is a nice rule 5 prospect, but he did not hit in the spring, and I’m not sure how you hide a 75 wRC+ 1B/3B for an entire season on a team with Josh Naylor and Jose Ramirez.
Best wishes to Cookie.
Keeping both Arias and Rocchio on the roster makes absolutely no sense. The reason they haven’t figured out who their long term shortstop is, is because they haven’t given anyone an extended chance to win the job — they keep splitting reps and hoping someone separates themselves. (They also kept Amed for too long last year and it prevented them from giving younger players at bats.)
These guys need everyday at bats, not a few scattered at bats here and there. They try to find out a little bit about everyone and instead they find out nothing. That’s how they gave up too early on guys like Benson, Jones, and Yandy Diaz. (Giving away Caminero and Yainer Diaz was just bad scouting of their own summer league rosters, but that’s a different problem.)
Yandy Diaz falls on tito. Tito ask him to play left field and he said no. He got in Tito dog house and was traded.
A young player trying to make a roster like Yandy was at that time, should have jumped at any chance to play be it left field or his infield spots. That was on Yandy.
I remember the same thing happened with Mejia so I guess they dodged a bullet there, but they still ended up basically picking Bauers over Yandy which in hindsight ended up being a terrible decision.
That trade wasn’t all bad because it brought Santana back, but I think a lot of people at the time thought Yandy could be a good major league hitter so he’ll always feel like one that got away.
@Michael: They also got $5 million which made them able to keep Santana instead of Encarnacion.
@Oscar: I know that — I already mentioned that in the comment above
There is no mention of $5 million in your comment
In my opinion, it makes the most sense to let Arias hit against right handers – he did pretty well against them last year – and split the time with Freeman, who should be moved all over the diamond so that he can get at bats. Rocchio has nothing to prove in AAA, but he didn’t take the position from Arias, so he should be sent back.
As for what will actually happen, as opposed to the perfect world inside my head, they probably will platoon Rocchio and Arias, which won’t give enough at bats to either Freeman or Rocchio. My guess is that Brennan ends up in AAA. That could help him retool his swing, something he’s been working on this winter.
So, you are right. There is a real probability of the Guards losing one or more of these guys who come back to bite them when they get consistent at bats, somewhere.
Rocchio is my long term choice, but Arias probably needs one last chance because he’s so toolsy that I absolutely think he could be a good player if someone else gave him the chance. You’re right that Rocchio definitely didn’t steal the job away from him so it’s understandable to give Arias an extended audition because in a perfect world you’ve got a strong defender with legitimate power at short.
But he also had a bad spring and was terrible against lefties last year, so if they were to move on from him and give the job to Rocchio I’d understand that too. I just hate the idea of splitting reps because in the end you’re gonna ruin both of them that way.
I’d honestly rather they just pick one guy and it be the wrong choice than see them trying to half-ass it and end up no better off.
Rocchio has not had the opportunities to play that Arias has had in the majors. I think he will seize this opportunity and run with the job. At least I hope so.
Shortstop should be rocchio. Arias can’t hit lefthand pitching. Cinn. Is losing infielders maybe package arias, Shawn and minor pitching prospect for a right hand stick like steer.
The Reds just need a short term solution for their infield until McLain comes back and they already traded for Espinal. That’s also not nearly enough for Steer, nor would the Reds move him anyway.
McLain getting second opinion on shoulder. Could be done for the season that hasn’t started yet.
I am shocked that both Arias and Rocchio are making the club. It will be tough to get those guys enough ABs.. and Freeman probably deserves some more playing time based off of the sprung he has had.
This does at least clear the way for everyday ABs in Columbus for Brito and Martinez.
This being the case, I would think this means De Los Santos is heading back to the Diamondbacks. That will clear up the DH spot and allow for Rocchio, Arias, and Freeman to get a few more ABs.
I would expect Arias to see time at the corners when Naylor or Ramirez are DHing.
I guess but isn’t that also what David Fry is there for?
OK, I guess the picture might be a little clearer with Straw put on waivers. Freeman is probably the opening day center fielder. So there is still a shot that De Los Santos makes the team.
To me, I think the easy call is to keep De Los Santos and Florial, outright Straw (he’ll almost certainly clear waivers), and option Brennan. DLS and Florial get one last chance, and if one of them gets moved off the roster then you bring Brennan back up.
I am scratching my head with Florial. Seems like a guy that would pretty easily clear waivers (again). They see something they like.
If they’re actually putting Straw off the roster they need someone that can defend in CF. Presumably they’re giving Freeman the audition there, but they will need a defensive replacement while he learns. Straw would have been fine in that role, but Florial in that role also makes sense.
Florial is out of options.
Maybe arias and straw are going to cincy in package deal that is not finalize yet. Injuries in both areas for cincy.
Oh hell yeah Carlos! This is awesome!
The guardians will put James Karincheck on 60 day dl. Tyler Bebee will take is spot. After his 60 day dl karincheck will be dfa. Karincheck shouldn’t been offered a 2024 contract 2.5 million wasted .
Stephan will be the the one placed on the 60 day IL. since he is already out for the season.
Yes stephan is going on 60 dl. Carlos is taking his spot. Need one spot for Tyler Bebbe will be james Kerincheck going on 60 dl. James will be dfa when comes off dl He has regess with injuries and performance in 2023.
Glad to see Tyler Beede make the team
Meant straw cincy needs centerfielder too.
I’m not sure Karinchak will ever be dominant again. The crack down on “sticky stuff” and pitch clocks really seemed to affect him more than a lot of pitchers. He’s expendable at this point if the Guardians need a roster spot.
See above.
Yandy Diaz did not want to learn another position, and there wasn’t one for him in Cleveland. Trading him enabled to open a spot…and the money…to bring back Santana.
Arias has had nearly 1000 PAs over several levels in the last two years, but hasn’t hit squat. There has been no indication of any kind of improvement. Rocchio should be the everyday SS.
With Fry being able to play all the corner positions and Freeman able to play all the middle positions…and both capable of hitting LH pitching for a roster that heavily leans left handed, there is no logical room for Arias.
He is dead weight in a lineup, to go along with Florial and DDLS.
There’s a decent chance Arias ends up being nothing and this doesn’t matter, but they did him no favors last year and pretty much set him up for failure.
He got about 300 at bats, but that’s not enough to make a definitive call on someone and he was almost never in the lineup enough days in a row to get in any rhythm or make any adjustments. They also had him play five different positions last year while trying to figure out how to hit major league pitching.
Arias has a low baseball iq. Swinging at first pitches when the pitcher is struggling and ground out,or pop out to the infield.
Let’s not forget Arias can play right field too. He played out there some last year before Rosario was traded. I bet Rocchio sees most of the SS time and Freeman eventually takes a lot of the CF reps. Leaving Arias to bounce around the infield and outfield. Florial was a worth a look. We’ll see if he hits enough to keep around
Happy for Beede working his way back to a roster spot.
Good for Cookie. 🙂
Keeping Fry is dumb. That spells the end of the De Los Santos experiment. Fry should be sent to Columbus to catch every day.
Loved rooting for Cookie on the Mets and will continue to do so now that he’s back with CLE.
Tyler Beede is a good pitcher. He was originally drafted by the best organization in baseball
I just want them to see the pokemon evolution of Bieber, Bibee, and Beede!