TODAY: The Guardians have officially announced Cecconi’s activation. Right-hander Zak Kent was optioned to Columbus in the corresponding move.
MAY 16: The Guardians will activate Slade Cecconi from the 15-day injured list to start tomorrow against Cincinnati, relays Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. It will be the right-hander’s team debut. He was acquired from the Diamondbacks in the offseason Josh Naylor trade.
Cecconi, 25, probably would have opened the season in Stephen Vogt’s rotation had he been healthy. He strained his left oblique during Spring Training. He has made a trio of rehab starts with Triple-A Columbus over the past couple weeks. Cecconi has allowed seven runs over 13 innings. He got through 5 2/3 frames and tallied 68 pitches over the weekend.
A Miami product, Cecconi was a supplemental first-round pick in 2020. His prospect stock has dimmed since then, though the Guardians still liked him enough to send their longtime first baseman to Arizona. Cecconi tossed 104 innings for the Snakes between 2023-24, allowing just over six earned runs per nine. His 18.7% strikeout rate is below-average, but he has shown excellent control. He owns a 4.73 ERA over parts of five minor league seasons.
Cleveland lost Ben Lively to the injured list with a flexor strain earlier this week. Cecconi will slot behind Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Luis Ortiz and Logan Allen to round out the rotation for the time being.
FanDuel is probably already taking odds whether he or Chase Petty gets hit harder tomorrow.
That’s what FanDuel does as its business. They do it for every pitching matchup.
I believe Red is expressing his disdain for FanDuel, which I agree with.
Hopefully Suter opening will calm his nerves a bit
Any line yet from degenerategambler.com?
This doesn’t look promising.
Pleasantly surprised through first 5 innings.
I guess you figured Cleveland’s scouts identified Cecconi because he lacked raw stuff? His appearance didn’t surprise me at all. He certainly performed better with his stuff than Gavin Williams has with his most of the year. What a pleasure it was to watch someone pitch efficiently with an array of pitches and attack the zone. There were a number of hard hit balls that were caught, but CLE’s rotation is full of guys who give up hard hits which aren’t. So he joins them, but throws strikes for a change…I’m all for it.
I assumed they’d activate kluber. He could not be any worse.
But could he be better?
I love this guy’s arm. I thought he was a great get for Cleveland. I think in the long run they’re going to be happy with that trade.
Cleveland has a pitching lab, they continuously pop out with quality arms.
The Pitching Factory has run out of gas.
Hoping for Kayfus soon.
I heard Slade Cecconi sleeps with the fishes.
Maybe that’s when he stayed overnight at the aquarium.
If Tanner Bibee is Cleveland’s “ace,” the Guards don’t have an ace. Bibee is at best a No. 3 starter in most rotations. He has no reliable “out pitch.” That’s why his pitch count is nearly always a problem. Too many foul balls. I like Cecconi’s potential.