The Guardians’ estimated $100.4MM payroll is decrease than the $104.2MM they spent in 2024, as per RosterResource’s calculations, and Cleveland additionally moved a variety of long-term cash off the books by buying and selling Andres Gimenez and Myles Straw to the Blue Jays in separate offers. Regardless of what may seemingly be a bit of additional cash out there for the Guards to spend earlier than Opening Day, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Supplier thinks the crew gained’t dip into free company for any late additions, and is extra more likely to re-invest these financial savings in direction of doable extensions for present gamers on the roster.
Early-career extensions have lengthy been a key plank of Cleveland’s team-building technique, courting again to John Hart’s tenure as common supervisor within the 1990’s. On the present crew, Jose Ramirez, Emmanuel Clase, and Trevor Stephan are all taking part in on multi-year extensions, and there are many fascinating abilities the Guardians may look to lock up for the longer term. Steven Kwan is in his first of three years of arbitration eligibility, and Tanner Bibee stands out as the highest extension candidate among the many Guards’ lengthy record of pre-arb gamers. It takes two to tango, after all, so there must be an equal need on the a part of any gamers in figuring out an extension that’s acceptable to either side.
Extra from the AL Central…
Michael A. Taylor will endure scans on his proper elbow, White Sox supervisor Will Venable advised reporters (together with Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Solar-Occasions) at this time. Taylor was scratched from the lineup as a result of what the Sox initially described simply as elbow irritation, however the situation is critical sufficient to advantage extra testing. An damage can be a tough begin to Taylor’s stint with the White Sox, because it was lower than three weeks in the past that the veteran outfielder and former Gold Glover signed his one-year, $1.95MM deal.
Walker Jenkins suffered a left ankle sprain final Sunday, and Twins GM Jeremy Zoll advised The Athletic’s Dan Hayes and different reporters that Jenkins can be set again round one or two weeks. This may imply Jenkins misses the very begin of the minor league season, however the damage is minor sufficient that the highest prospect shouldn’t be sidelined for too lengthy. The fifth general choose of the 2023 draft, the 20-year-old Jenkins is taken into account considered one of baseball’s elite prospects, and he made it up the ladder for six video games in Double-A final season. Jenkins’ large league debut might be likelier to occur in 2026 than in 2025, but a cup of espresso within the Present could possibly be doable this 12 months if Jenkins retains performing nicely towards minor league pitching.
