Guardians right-hander Ben Energetic will bear Tommy John surgical procedure and a flexor tendon restore, the crew introduced. The righty is anticipated to overlook 12 to 16 months. Which means he’ll miss the rest of the 2025 season and possibly all of ’26 as nicely. He’s already on the 15-day injured record and will probably be moved to the 60-day IL each time Cleveland wants his 40-man roster spot.
“Earlier this week, RHP Ben Energetic sought a second opinion on his injured proper elbow with Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, TX,” the membership’s assertion reads. “Dr. Meister confirmed the presence of a flexor tendon damage whereas additionally noting medial elbow joint laxity on account of an inadequate ulnar collateral ligament. Each crew physicians and Dr. Meister imagine the joint laxity is putting added stress on the flexor muscle tissues and have advisable UCL reconstruction together with flexor tendon restore. No surgical date has been set however is anticipated within the coming days with Dr. Meister. Return to play timeframes in comparable instances are 12-16 months.”
Energetic was unexpectedly tabbed as Cleveland’s Opening Day starter this season after an sickness dominated Tanner Bibee out for that task. The 33-year-old didn’t have a terrific outing, surrendering three runs over 5 innings in Kansas Metropolis. Nonetheless, he has arguably been Cleveland’s finest beginning pitcher by way of the season’s first month and a half. After posting a 3.81 ERA in 151 innings a 12 months in the past, he labored to a 3.22 mark throughout 9 begins this 12 months. He’s as much as practically 200 innings with a 3.68 ERA in a Cleveland uniform since signing for a modest $750K as a free agent in the course of the 2023-24 offseason.
It has been essentially the most profitable stretch of Energetic’s massive league tenure. He’d spent elements of two seasons apiece as a depth starter with the Phillies and Royals early in his profession. He then pitched in Korea for 3 seasons earlier than returning stateside with the Reds in 2022. Energetic allowed 5.38 earned runs per 9 with Cincinnati and was waived on the finish of that 12 months. Cleveland noticed sufficient to present him a significant league contract, and so they have been rewarded with usually stable outcomes till he left the mound with forearm ache throughout a begin towards the Brewers final week.
There’s a good probability this may finish his Guardians tenure. Energetic is taking part in this season on a $2.25MM contract after qualifying for arbitration for the primary time. He’d be due a slight elevate subsequent 12 months if tendered a contract. The Guardians might want to resolve whether or not to supply him one thing within the $3MM vary to spend most or all of subsequent season rehabbing, then pay an analogous wage for a hopefully wholesome ’27 marketing campaign. He’d be nearing his thirty fifth birthday at that time. Energetic doesn’t throw laborious or miss many bats, so the crew could really feel they will extra cheaply exchange his manufacturing and non-tender him.
Within the brief time period, it’s successful to an already questionable beginning employees. Cleveland starters rank nineteenth in each ERA and strikeout price. They’re twenty third in innings pitched. Energetic led the group in ERA. Slade Cecconi, who was acquired from the Diamondbacks for Josh Naylor over the winter, was activated from his personal IL stint on Saturday to take Energetic’s rotation spot. He labored 5 innings of three-run ball in his crew debut. He slots behind Bibee, Gavin Williams, Luis Ortiz and Logan Allen in the meanwhile. Shane Bieber and John Means are potential second-half reinforcements as they work again from their very own UCL procedures.
