Cleveland Sports Forum

It would be exciting although awfully unlikely if we ever see Espino in a game again.

Not quite at the same level, but Justin Campbell was our 2nd round pick and top pitcher drafted in the same year and one round ahead of Messick. He has never pitched an inning professionally and I don't know if he's still under team control or if his career has ended before it ever got under way.

Campbell is 24 by now. His prospect writeup in 2023 preseason

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 55 | Overall: 40

Campbell was a finalist for the John Olerud Award given to NCAA Division I's best two-way player in 2021 before focusing solely on pitching as an Oklahoma State junior last spring. He ranked seventh in D-I with 141 strikeouts in 101 1/3 innings before going 37th overall in the Draft and signing for a below-slot $1.7 million. He has yet to make his pro debut, however, because he had surgery to relieve pressure on the ulnar nerve in his pitching elbow in May.

Campbell has two secondary pitches that stand out more than his fastball: a plus upper-70s changeup with plenty of fade and a mid-70s curveball with significant depth. His heater sits at 91-93 mph and occasionally reaches 97, featuring high spin rates and armside run that generate a lot of weak contact. He can mix in a low-80s slider but usually works with three pitches.

Due to his 6-foot-7 frame that creates unusual angle and deceptive delivery, hitters don't see the ball well against Campbell and take a lot of awkward swings against him. Very athletic for his size, he repeats his mechanics and pounds the strike zone. A tough competitor who had one of the highest floors among pitchers in the 2022 Draft, he should become at least a No. 4 starter with the chance for more if the Guardians can work their Shane Bieber magic on him.

as of August 2024

Campbell (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery in the spring and won't make his pro debut until at least mid-2025, according to J.J. Cooper of Baseball America.
The Guardians discovered early in spring training that Campbell would need Tommy John surgery. Campbell was on his way back from ulnar transposition surgery in the same elbow and has not yet pitched in a pro game since the Guardians selected him with the No. 37 overall pick in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft.

as of June 2025:
Campbell (elbow/wrist) appears on track to begin pitching in games in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League during the first week of July, SI.com reports.
The No. 37 overall pick in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft, Campbell has been snakebitten on the health front since being selected and is still waiting to make his professional debut. After previously undergoing nerve decompression surgery on his right elbow in May 2023, Campbell then required Tommy John surgery on the same elbow last April. Additionally, Campbell had another procedure Oct. 1 of last year, when he underwent surgery to address De Quervain tenosynovitis on his right wrist. Campbell looks to be making good progress in his rehab program for the elbow and wrist issues, but given his long layoff, it's fair to expect some rust once he eventually makes his debut in Arizona.

Didn't happen.

Myles Straw has more home runs than Nolan Jones this year

BUT Jones is hitting the ball very hard ! (Foul)

Got to hope for a walk every time. Still acts and looks like he can not see the ball. Should cut him loose and bring up Noel for some righthanded help !

There is no way he will ever be a contributing player on this team in the future.

The Guardians are calling LHP Parker Messick up to The Show!

Messick will make his first start on Wednesday in Arizona, per
@CleGuardPro

Marlins Place Cal Quantrill On Outright Waivers

Cleveland Guardians designated RHP Carlos Hernández for assignment.

2022 solid young rotation: Quantrill Civale Bieber McKenzie

3 years later:
Bieber injured, traded. Ready for his season debut with BlueJays
McKenzie, sidetracked by injuries. A few unsuccessful games from the bullpen in April. Rookie league unsuccessful, trying again in AAA
Plesac 10 starts in AAA for StL ERA over 10. Now in the Atlantic League
Civale 3-8 4,88 ERA with his 3rd consecutive midseason trade
Quantrill 4-10 5.50 ERA and now released.

Major league totals [before Bieber rights the ship?] 7-18 ERA over 5.

[Clevinger and Bauer big stars of recent past seasons were gone already and are now out of baseball, at least North American baseball]

Despite historic platoon advantage, Guardians keep losing the hitting war. Here’s why

Two of Stephen Vogt’s tenets as Cleveland Guardians manager are that he assembles a lineup aimed at conquering the opposing starting pitcher and that he loathes the word “platoon.” The first principle is pretty elementary, a wise place for any game planner to start. The second, though, runs contrary to how the Guardians have operated in 2025 — and in most years in recent memory.

The Guardians, out of some blend of desperation and discipline, have followed stricter platoons than any other club in the league. In fact, they have held the platoon advantage in 78.6% of their plate appearances, by far the highest rate in the league. The Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals are tied for second, at 65.8%.

That figure the Guardians have produced is the highest by any team — drum roll, please — since the 1987 St. Louis Cardinals. Thirty-eight years ago.
There’s more to life than situational handedness, though.

Despite that gaudy platoon rate, the Guardians’ offense is rather inept. Entering play on Thursday, they rank 26th in runs per game, 28th in OPS, 30th in batting average, 29th in on-base percentage and 28th in slugging percentage. Now imagine if they had left-handed hitters squaring off against left-handed pitchers! What a nightmare that would be.

It’s not just this season that the Guardians have been platoonphilic. They also led the league in platoon advantage in 2024, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2004. They ranked second in 2023, 2015, 2003, 2002 and 1999. They’re the John Wooden-led UCLA Bruins of allowing their hitters to see the ball slightly better out of the opposing pitcher’s hand.
So what's going on here?
Well, switch hitters help. For years, Cleveland has benefitted from holding the advantage anytime Francisco Lindor, José Ramírez or Carlos Santana strode to the plate, and those three players have been durable lineup staples.

The club also has employed righties who had a knack for mashing against lefties, from Ryan Raburn to Brandon Guyer to Jordan Luplow, who all paired with capable left-handed partners in Lonnie Chisenhall and Tyler Naquin.

For an organization that’s never going to throw wads of cash at its roster deficiencies, finding competitive advantages on the margins is pivotal. This can be one of those, if the personnel fits. That 1987 Cardinals team lacked thump — they ranked last in home runs, by a bunch — but they had five regular switch hitters (plus a sixth in supersub José Oquendo). They finished eighth in the league in runs per game, won 95 games and reached the World Series.

So why hasn’t it worked for the Guardians in 2025?

Obviously, Ramírez plays every day, and as a switch hitter with Hall of Fame aspirations, will always hold the advantage, whether facing a lefty, a righty or some towering extraterrestrial that spits fastballs out of its antennae.

Steven Kwan, the only other unquestioned everyday player, bats lefty and is suffering through his worst left-on-left season as a big-leaguer.

Kwan vs. LHP in 2024: .319/.392/.447 slash line
Kwan vs. LHP in 2025: .253/.301/.291 slash line

Elsewhere, Vogt has done plenty of mixing and matching, depending on the opposing starter.

The right-handed sticks intended to torment left-handed pitchers — Lane Thomas, David Fry, Jhonkensy Noel, Johnathan Rodríguez — haven’t produced, either because of injury, inconsistent playing time or, simply, ineffectiveness.

Will Wilson, a right-handed utility infielder, was thrust into action for 32 games, many of those against lefties, but he didn’t muster much against anyone (.472 OPS). Cleveland’s catchers have compiled a .170/.260/.317 slash line, with a 62 wRC+ that ranks 29th in the league and suggests lefty Bo Naylor and righty Austin Hedges combined rate 38% below league average.

Santana was supposed to offer a middle-of-the-order solution against lefties — at least, that’s what the team was banking on, despite the fact that he’s approaching 40 — but he hasn’t supplied much against righties (.637 OPS) or lefties (.692 OPS). The Guardians expected much more from Nolan Jones when they traded Tyler Freeman for him a few days before the season began. Jones, a left-handed hitter, has registered a .620 OPS against righties, 27% below league-average for that particular split.

Kyle Manzardo has been a bright spot, but he has only 63 plate appearances against lefties this season, as Fry’s return and defensive limitations have carved into his playing time. Manzardo is perhaps the best representation of the antithesis to Vogt’s dislike of the word “platoon.” The only way to find out if the 25-year-old can handle lefties is to grant him chances to do so. For example, Josh Naylor, now with Seattle, scuffled against lefties for a few years before reshaping that narrative in 2023. For the sake of both contention and development, there’s no reason Santana should stand in Manzardo’s way.

Santana vs. LHP in 2025: .239/.333/.359 (.692 OPS)
Manzardo vs. LHP in 2025: .179/.254/.464 (.718 OPS)
Manzardo vs. RHP in 2025: .243/.330/.466 (.796 OPS)

Daniel Schneemann, a left-handed hitter, has delivered about league-average production against righties (.237/.315/.416 slash line), but has struggled in limited opportunities against lefties (.492 OPS in 48 plate appearances). Brayan Rocchio, a switch hitter, adds to that platoon advantage figure, but he has logged a .628 OPS against righties and a .602 OPS against lefties. He has, however, posted a .744 OPS overall since returning to the big-league roster July 1.

Two years ago, Gabriel Arias, a righty, went 9-for-108 with 54 strikeouts against lefties. That might be acceptable if he only ever faced prime Sandy Koufax and he were using a soggy paper towel tube. This year, Arias has recorded a .224/.262/.439 clip against southpaws, for a .701 OPS that sits right near league average.

Perhaps no player has experienced a greater disparity depending on the handedness of the pitcher than Angel Martínez.

Martínez vs. LHP in 2025: .298/.349/.500 slash line
Martínez vs. RHP in 2025: .201/.227/.321 slash line

He’s not reaping the benefits of switch hitting, since two-thirds of his plate appearances have come against right-handers. Martínez has been a microcosm of Cleveland’s lineup as a whole in 2025. It’s great to have the platoon advantage, but the hitter has to actually take advantage and deliver some offense.

Stephen Vogt’s message to Angel Martinez — hit the cutoff man: Guardians takeaways

It’s unclear if it would have made a difference, but center fielder Angel Martinez made a mistake in the inning. Following a leadoff double by Wyatt Langford, Corey Seager singled to center. Martinez threw home in a failed effort to get Langford with the tying run as Seager took second on the throw.

Joc Peterson’s double to the wall in right center easily scored Seager with the game-winning run.

“Angel has to hit the cutoff man,” said manager Stephen Vogt. “You know the tying run is going to score, you can’t let the go-ahead run get to second.
Martinez, who came up through the system as a middle infielder, has played mostly center field this year

Hoynes would like to try a CF in CF for a change:

Hey, Hoynsie: What do you think the Guards should do with the roster in September? — Ed Brandyberry, Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.

Hey, Ed: Since 2020, teams can expand their 26-man rosters by only two players. Before that, teams could bring up their entire 40-man roster if they wanted.
I’d like to see outfielder Petey Halpin get a look, he’s had a solid season. Jhonkensy Noel and George Valera, who hit for the cycle Friday night, are interesting candidates as well.

Watchng the team everyday he has as good a view as anyone of what the team lacks. A team that relies on defense and pitching to make for no offense really ought to put its best defenders up the middle. That's why they've put up with Naylor and Arias but they contradict their own logic in the OF

Naylor and Arias are not good defensive players. Arias has a strong arm. No range at SS.

Rocchio has improved his offense since his trip to Columbus. He had some good postseason rankings as a SS last year. Do you see him as a long-term option? With Bazzana at 2nd, if he hits up to his pre-draft potential.

A few young catchers on the horizon: Kody Huff at AAA is called a good defender, not much of a hitter. Cooper Ingle is well regarded for his offense, now at AA. Jacob Cozart at Lake County is supposed to be a quality defender and possibly a hitter.