The Guardians introduced that right-hander Triston McKenzie has been designated for project. They’ve chosen the contract of righty Zak Kent from Triple-A Columbus in his place. The DFA marks the end result of a prolonged interval of battle that dates again to 2023 for McKenzie, who as soon as seemed like a possible constructing block in Cleveland’s rotation.
McKenzie missed important time in 2023 with a UCL damage that by no means wound up requiring surgical procedure. He struggled earlier than and after a pair of prolonged IL stints that season and has but to regain his footing. He’s additionally out of minor league choices, so the Guards couldn’t ship him to Triple-A. McKenzie was considered one of a handful of notable out-of-options gamers we highlighted as a possible change-of-scenery candidate this spring. Given his pre-injury monitor report, it appears possible that one other membership will take an opportunity on him, presumably through a minor commerce however on the very least through waivers.
Again in 2022, a then-24-year-old McKenzie broke out with 191 1/3 innings of two.96 ERA ball. He punched out 25.6% of his opponents towards a terrific 5.9% stroll fee. That ostensible breakout got here on the heels of a four-year run wherein McKenzie ranked among the many sport’s top-100 prospects. He didn’t throw laborious, sitting 92.5 mph along with his four-seamer, however he generated swinging strikes and chases on pitches off the plate at charges effectively north of the common pitcher. Given the right-hander’s prospect standing and Cleveland’s penchant for churning out high quality pitchers on a near-annual foundation, McKenzie seemed like the following in a protracted line of homegrown rotation arms to name Progressive Area house.
The beforehand talked about UCL damage restricted McKenzie to solely 4 begins in 2023, nonetheless, and he seemed like a very totally different pitcher in 2024. The lanky 6’5″, 175-pound righty noticed his common fastball freefall to 91.1 mph final 12 months. His once-plus command was gone. He walked 14.4% of his opponents in 75 2/3 innings after having dished out free passes at a grisly 17.8% clip throughout that injury-ruined 2023 season. He allowed a median of 1.18 homers per 9 innings throughout his standout 2022 season however noticed that mark skyrocket to 2.26 per 9 frames in ’24.
Not in a position to entrust McKenzie with a rotation spot, the Guardians seemed elsewhere to fill within the beginning workers this winter. They acquired righty Luis Ortiz from the Pirates and re-signed Shane Bieber to a two-year deal (with an opt-out) whereas he mends from final 12 months’s Tommy John surgical procedure.
McKenzie opened the 2025 season within the bullpen. The Guards certainly hoped that he may both discover his footing as a reliever or pitch his method again into consideration for a beginning position. Neither has occurred. Whereas McKenzie’s velocity is again as much as a median of 93.7 mph on his heater, that’s possible because of him working in short-relief stints versus being requested to face a lineup two to a few occasions per outing. He’s pitched solely 5 2/3 innings this season and been clobbered for seven runs. Command continues to be a obvious subject; he’s served up seven hits (together with a homer), walked seven of his 30 opponents (23.3%) and already been charged with three wild pitches. McKenzie has solely set down 4 batters on strikes.
Any staff to assert McKenzie or purchase him through commerce will at this level be rolling the cube on a reclamation venture. McKenzie hasn’t labored greater than 1 2/3 innings in a single look this season, so he’s additionally not presently stretched out sufficient to affix somebody’s rotation even when they need to try him as a starter. He may very well be constructed again up on the fly, however that’s a troublesome activity when already asking a participant to modify groups and undergo all of the inherent, related modifications (studying new coaches and catchers, making tweaks to supply and pitch choice, and many others.).
The Guardians can commerce McKenzie or place him on outright waivers at any level within the subsequent 5 days. Waivers themselves are a 48-hour course of, that means his DFA can be resolved inside per week’s time at most. He’s incomes $1.95MM this season. An buying membership could be on the hook for about $1.69MM as of this writing (or a bit much less relying on when he’s claimed/traded). He’s controllable for 2 extra seasons past the present marketing campaign.
Turning to Kent, he’s a former Rangers farmhand whom Cleveland acquired in a March 2024 commerce that despatched worldwide bonus pool area again to Texas. He missed the vast majority of the 2024 season because of an elbow pressure, nonetheless. The Guards designated Kent for project final summer time, launched him and shortly re-signed him on a brand new minor league pact. (Injured gamers can’t be positioned on outright waivers.)
At the moment’s promotion places Kent in line for his MLB debut. He’s wholesome once more and pitching effectively in Columbus, the place he’s tossed 7 2/3 frames of aid and held opponents to a pair of runs. Kent has allowed three hits and fanned 10, although his 4 walks are greater than he or the staff would like, and he’s additionally plunked a batter.
Kent ranked within the Rangers’ high 30 prospects from 2022-24, per Baseball America, and he’ll head to MLB with a stable monitor report on the high minor league stage. Kent carries a lifetime 4.00 ERA in 92 innings throughout components of 4 seasons there, though that quantity is skewed a bit by final 12 months’s injury-marred season. Kent was rocked for an ERA north of seven.00 in 23 innings there, although it appears honest to counsel his elbow damage contributed to these struggles. He’s posted sturdy numbers in every of his different partial Triple-A seasons. Subtracting the injury-plagued ’24 marketing campaign, Kent has a 2.88 ERA in 68 2/3 Triple-A frames.
