Prior to today’s game, the Guardians placed outfielder Lane Thomas on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to July 5), as Thomas is again dealing with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Infielder Will Wilson was called up from Triple-A to replace Thomas, who is headed to the IL for the third time this season. The first placement was due to a bone bruise in his right wrist, and the last two placements were prompted by Thomas’ recurring foot problems. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt told MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins and other reporters that Thomas again started to feel discomfort in his foot during Friday’s game, so the team decided to see if the combination of an IL stint and the All-Star break can provide enough time for Thomas to finally heal up.
The injuries have contributed to a brutal .160/.246/.272 slash line over 142 plate appearances for Thomas, though he was starting to heat up a little with an .816 OPS and three homers in last 38 PA. Thomas’ struggles have been emblematic of an ugly offensive year for the Guardians as a whole, and today’s loss to the Tigers extended the Guards’ losing streak to 10 games. It increasingly seems like Cleveland will be sellers at the deadline, yet Thomas’ injuries and lack of production will probably mean the Guards won’t be able to move the impending free agent.
More from around the AL Central…
- Cole Ragans will resume throwing tomorrow after an MRI came back clean, Royals manager Matt Quatraro told MLB.com’s Anne Rogers and other reporters. The Royals ace hasn’t thrown since suffering a left rotator cuff strain in early June, so with that four-week shutdown period now over, Ragans can get started on the early stages of what could be a lengthy ramp-up plan. It doesn’t appear likely that Ragans will be back in the K.C. rotation before the July 31 deadline, and his progress will surely be a factor in whatever decisions the Royals face about buying or selling. Today’s win over the Diamondbacks bumped Kansas City up to a modest 43-48 record, and the club sits 5.5 games out of the final AL Wild card slot.
- Another injury arose for the Royals prior to today’s game, as the club placed left-hander Daniel Lynch IV on the 15-day IL due to nerve irritation in his throwing elbow. Right-hander Jonathan Bowlan was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move. Lynch will undergo further testing tomorrow to determine the severity of the injury. The former top prospect has settled into a relief role (with a pair of opener starts this season) in Kansas City, and has managed a 2.59 ERA over 41 2/3 innings despite lackluster strikeout and walk rates. With Lynch out, Angel Zerpa and the struggling Sam Long are the remaining left-handed options in the Kansas City bullpen.
- Alex Cobb was slated to resume playing catch yesterday after receiving an anti-inflammatory injection in his left hip, as per a Tigers medical update from Friday. Cobb has yet to pitch this season due to inflammation in his right hip, and he has made three minor league rehab outings but recurring discomfort in both hips has halted those rehab assignments. Cobb has now received multiple injections in both hips, and it remains to be seen when (or even if) the right-hander will be able to make his official debut on Detroit’s big league roster. The Tigers signed Cobb to a one-year, $15MM free agent deal this past winter, taking the risk on the veteran following his injury-riddled 2024 campaign.
I’m skeptical that the Guardians will sell beyond maybe Santana, Sewald, Junis, or Thomas if he can get healthy and have a productive couple of weeks leading up to the trade deadline
As a Guardians fan, I agree. There really isn’t much to sell unless they want to tear it down and that’s not how they operate. I can’t imagine they’d get much at all for Sewald or Junis though, other than maybe a few bucks in savings or a player to be named.
Moving Clase would probably be next, but I think that’s more of an offseason move. Possibly Kwan too, since we’re getting to the point of his team control window where they normally look at moving guys.
Move Clase…he’s going to get the best ROI from the tradeables
I agree they will be very aggressive in shopping those 4 players.. if nothing else, simply to clear some roster spots and salary.
I think they like their hitting prospects in the upper minors but maybe they’d be willing to trade from their pitching depth to address the offense.. specifically a catcher. Maybe along the lines of Clase for Harry Ford or Jeferson Quero.
I know Ford is blocked by Raleigh, but I’d imagine the Mariners would gladly make room for him and would only trade him for another hitter. Quero is a possibility, but the problem for the Guardians (at least in the upper minors) isn’t really position player depth.
Until they show they can develop another homegrown hitter, though, I actually wouldn’t mind them “buying” and trading a few guys for a controllable major league hitter. We all know they’re gonna play the service time game with DeLauter, Kayfus, and probably Ingle, Bazzana, etc. down the line anyway.
I’m curious, which recent players do you think Cleveland has played the service time game with?
Bo Naylor in 2023, when their other options were Zunino and Hedges. It’s possible they were just too stubborn to admit that the Zunino signing was a dud, but either way it was handled badly.
Manzardo last year, when Fry was capable of throwing and playing other defensive positions and they only had Josh Naylor and a big hole in the lineup that they could have plugged in with him. (It was also bizarre that they initially said they’d consider playing him in the outfield to get his bat in the lineup, then almost exclusively DHed him — but again, that wasn’t the main issue.)
This year it’s DeLauter. I definitely get the issues he’s had staying healthy, but he’s been healthy and raking for over a month now and there’s still plenty of space for him in the lineup. Johnathan Rodriguez is a AAAA hitter, and the platoon advantage is a big deal to this team so they wouldn’t just send a righty down for another lefty but there’s room for him playing everyday against right handed pitching at the very least.
I don’t understand what Scott Harris was thinking when he lured Alex Cobb away from retirement when the guy can barely stand upright without pain anymore. What an incredible way to burn $15 million. He’s never throwing a pitch all season for the Tigers, a total waste.
Agreed. I like Harris but this is a weird one.
I thought the exact same thing. It really made no sense. It, also, wasn’t like they didn’t have any SPing depth. I, honestly, never expected Cobb to ever throw any meaningful innings for them this season.
Harris in his SF days must have loved Cobb, but it was a bad signing as soon as the pen was set down
One of the most ridiculous and wasteful contracts ever.
Ever!
Said Anthony Rendone.
Harris knew Cobb from San Fran and I assume knew he would have a positive impact on the young pitchers within the organization. No way he understood the depth of Cobb’s hip issues. Neither did anyone else.
Cobbs deal makes Verlander’s look a little bit better, although they’re tied for wins at this point.
“Neither did anyone else”. Except 29 other teams.
Based on the Tigers record, Scott Harris had done so many things right he had to throw a clunker out there so as to not make other GM’s look so bad.
The John Mozeliaks of the world appreciate his team spirit.
I would have liked Matt Boyd
Didn’t get that one neither. Most moves he makes are ok but this one was absolutely DUMB!
I’ve always wondered why the Tigers never seemed interested in bringing Lorenzen back. He did well when he was here, and since, but has never gotten expensive.
Anti Skateboard attitude in the motor city.
How much longer until they call up DeLauter?
After all star break. Look for kayfus too and juan brito when gets healthy from leg injury.
Instead of Kurtz or 2-3 other difference-making power hitters, they drafted yet ANOTHER middle infielder Bazzana, who looks like he’ll turn out to be just another Baz-zero.
God forbid they call up anyone who can actually hit. Maybe some analytic model says you don’t have to get hits to score runs?
If he is healthy, it is probably coming soon. The Nolan Jones revival project needs to come to an end. Personally, I have seen enough of Noel and Johnathan Rodriguez.
There is a chance that Kayfus gets the nod ahead of DeLauter though.
Guardians need to move cooper ingle and angel genao to columbus now !
Nah, they have to go stale before they’re promoted. It’s Guards Ball!
They need to move Vogt to the unemployment line. No clue.
He had the same roster last season! This has to be on the players.
Same roster? Hardly. The front office tore the heart out of the team when they traded head-banging Naylor and glue-hands Gimi.
AL Central note: Joe Ryan has stats to be an All Star this year
When I saw Lynch, Cobb…
I thought…..
“Well, at least they’ll get SOME ENTERTAINMENT out of the deal…….”