Stephen Vogt has set the pitching rotation for the start of the season. However, the Cleveland Guardians’ manager and front office still need to address other roster issues before Thursday’s opener against Kansas City.
On Sunday, during a meeting with reporters at the team’s spring training complex and via Zoom, Vogt confirmed that Logan Allen will be the fifth starter, and Triston McKenzie will begin the season in the bullpen.
Allen has had a strong spring performance. In six games, including three starts, the left-hander is 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA, one save, and 19 strikeouts.
“Like I told him, completely different pitcher than the one I saw last year, and that’s a credit to him and the work he put in this winter,” Vogt said about Allen, who finished last season with an 8-5 record and a 5.73 ERA, giving up 22 home runs in 20 starts.
Tanner Bibee, who signed a five-year, $48 million contract on Saturday, will be the ace of the staff for at least the first part of the season. Gavin Williams, Luis Ortiz, Ben Lively, and Allen will round out the rotation for the defending AL Central champions.
McKenzie could return to the rotation later but has struggled with control. In 12 innings of Cactus League action, he has allowed 15 hits, including three home runs, and walked seven batters.
Last season, McKenzie gave up 19 home runs in his first 16 starts, which led the MLB, before being sent to Triple-A Columbus for the rest of the season.
Despite this, Vogt remains confident McKenzie can turn things around.
Nolan Jones backs off an inside pitch in the 3rd inning“We continue to believe that the best version of our team has Tristan McKenzie in the rotation,” Vogt said. “Just right now with where we are as a team, we feel like the bullpen is a place where he can thrive. I think for him to come in and use his stuff to attack hitters from pitch number one could be a huge thing for him.”
The biggest remaining question for the Guardians’ roster is the outfield, especially in right field. Nolan Jones returns to the organization after being traded from Colorado for infielder/outfielder Tyler Freeman.
Jones was a second-round pick by Cleveland in the 2016 amateur draft but was traded to Colorado after the 2022 season. He finished fourth in the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year voting after hitting .297 with 20 home runs. However, Jones struggled last season, batting .227 with three home runs and playing only 79 games due to a lingering lower back strain.
Out of Jones’ 195 career outfield appearances, 129 have been in left field. The Guardians are set in left field with Steven Kwan, and Lane Thomas is the expected starter in center. Jhonkensy Noel is the likely choice for right field, with Jones and Will Brennan competing for the final roster spot.
Vogt told Brennan on Friday that he had made the opening day roster, but after the trade for Jones, he called Brennan again on Saturday night to say the situation remained fluid.
“For Nolan, he’s walking into a building full of people who love and care about him and are thrilled to see him back. He’s got a clean slate, and I’m excited to see what he can do,” Vogt said.
General manager Mike Chernoff explained that their previous familiarity with Jones helped them move quickly to make the trade.
“We felt like it was an opportunity to add a left-handed, impact-type bat that has the potential to have an impact in the outfield, which we felt like we really needed,” Chernoff said. “We felt that this move had the chance to make us better not only this year but in the future.”
