Cleveland Guardians News

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (hamstring) is sitting out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's series opener against the San Francisco Giants, per MLB.com. Jo Adell will make the start in right field for the Guards and will hit third in the batting order against Giants left-hander Carson Whisenhunt. DeLauter will miss at least one game after he was pulled from Sunday's series finale against the San Diego Padres with tightness in his left hamstring, and he is not feeling good enough to go following a scheduled day off on Monday. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day and check back on Wednesday to see if he is ready to return. The 24-year-old former first-rounder in 2022 from James Madison University is having a strong first year in the majors, slashing .285/.358/.442 with a .799 OPS, 13 home runs, 57 RBI, 49 runs scored, and nine stolen bases across his 403 at-bats. DeLauter is even hitting .346 (45-for-130) with two homers against left-handed pitchers.

Across 38 plate appearances since making his MLB debut on August 5, Cleveland Guardians infielder Angel Genao is hitting .294/.368/.412 with one home run, three RBI, seven runs scored, and one stolen base. The 22-year-old has spent time at every infield position other than first base, which should allow him to stick in the everyday lineup. Genao also demonstrated intriguing five-category potential this year in the minor leagues, hitting .300 with 13 home runs, 53 RBI, 65 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across 419 plate appearances split between Double and Triple-A. Genao hits the ball on the ground a ton, which may ultimately limit his power upside in the big leagues. Still, his combination of speed and contact ability allows him to profile as a batting average asset. In leagues where he's available on the waiver wire, Genao should be a priority target for fantasy managers.

Cleveland Guardians catcher and outfield prospect Cooper Ingle is having a bit of a slow August in his return to Triple-A Columbus. He is hitting just 9-for-41 (.220) and has two homers to go with nine RBI in 11 games this month. Ingle saw some time with the Guardians, getting 21 at bats with the big-league club and failing to produce with only two hits and two RBI. Ingle had a productive July at Columbus to try to make the case for another shot in Cleveland but his momentum has slowed a bit. Ingle is the No. 5 prospect in the Guardians' system and has a 55-grade hit tool with just 45-grade power. The Guardians are playing Patrick Bailey and Austin Hedges at catcher right now so it's not looking like Ingle will get another shot at catcher. Right now it's best to leave Ingle on the waiver wire in redraft leagues.

Cleveland Guardians first base prospect Ralphy Velazquez is doing everything in his power to prove himself MLB-ready with a power surge at Triple-A Columbus in August. This month, Velazquez is hitting .341 with eight homers and 14 RBI in 44 at bats. Velazquez, the No. 2 prospect for the Guardians, is a nice pickup in fantasy leagues in anticipation of a call-up. Redraft managers will hope for a promotion soon as the Guardians could use some extra power in their lineup despite making a trade-deadline move and acquiring first baseman Nate Lowe. At age 21, Velazquez is having a stellar season at Columbus with 21 homers and 68 RBI while hitting .284 with 60 runs scored. Cleveland already called up top prospect Angel Genao, but the power profile of Velazquez is still appealing and he has the ability to potentially play in the outfield. He is looking like a priority addition to fantasy teams.

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (hamstring) exited Sunday's series finale against the visiting San Diego Padres early with "mild left-hamstring tightness," according to Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. DeLauter was removed in the third inning after going hitless in his lone plate appearance. He was replaced in right field by Angel Martinez. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger will have a scheduled day off on Monday, with his next chance to return to Cleveland's starting lineup coming in Tuesday's series opener at home against the San Francisco Giants. For now, fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day. DeLauter came into Sunday's tilt against the Padres with a strong .286/.358/.443 slash line with an .801 OPS, 13 home runs, 57 RBI, 49 runs scored, and nine stolen bases across his 106 games and 452 plate appearances in his first year in the big leagues. It would be a shame for him to miss time the way he's been hitting, as he went 19-for-55 (.345) with a .919 OPS, two home runs, two doubles, six RBI, 11 runs scored, and three steals in 13 games in August going into Sunday's shutout loss to the Friars.

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (hand) missed Friday's game against the San Diego Padres because the team is managing his workload as he continues to progress from his hamate bone injury. While manager Stephen Vogt has said that the 33-year-old has been progressing well, the team must do what is best for everyone, which included having him miss Friday's game. This continues to align with what was mentioned when Ramirez was first activated from the Injured List on July 22, as the team said it would be mindful of how often he plays. This calls into question the timing of his return, as he did not go through a rehab assignment and instead returned directly to the Guardians' lineup. Since then, he has posted a .197 batting average with zero extra-base hits. He has, however, stolen five bases and walked 12 times, showing his incredible eye at the plate and on the basepaths. This situation remains one to monitor down the stretch, though fantasy baseball managers should continue to roster him every day regardless of how well he plays, simply because his upside is too good.

Cleveland Guardians catcher/outfield prospect Cooper Ingle got back on the multi-hit game train on Wednesday, reaching base in all five plate appearances after a 2-for-2 effort that included a single, a double, three walks, and two runs scored. The Guardians' third-ranked prospect was 1-for-16 (.063) in his previous four games, but that was preceded by a phenomenal streak of eight consecutive games where he collected at least two hits in each game. The former fourth-rounder is batting .378 in the 24 games since returning to Columbus after a brief debut with the big-league club, which includes 10 doubles and six home runs. For the season at Triple-A, the Clemson product is slashing a robust .318/.435/.591 with 18 home runs and a superb 17.4 percent walk rate in 75 games with the Clippers. He'll likely get another shot in the majors in the coming weeks, and the 24-year-old offers enough contact and power to make for an intriguing stash option in deeper 14+ team leagues.

Cleveland Guardians first base/outfield prospect Ralphy Velazquez endured a 0-for-21 six-game stretch in late July, but since then, the Guardians' top-ranked prospect has been on an otherworldly power binge, blasting nine home runs in his last 12 games at Triple-A Columbus, including two home runs in Wednesday's contest, while batting .319 (15-for-47) over that time. The former first-rounder earned a promotion to Triple-A in mid-May and after scuffling a bit, he appears to be settling in just fine against the stiffer competition. The left-handed hitter is now slashing .258/.338/.485 with 13 home runs in 60 games with the Clippers, while striking out at a slightly-better-than-average rate of 21.5 percent and producing an 88th-percentile barrel rate of 12.4 percent that foretells more home runs to come. The 21-year-old could be the next Guardians prospect to debut this season, and should be considered a top stash option for power production in most 12-team leagues and deeper.

Cleveland Guardians catcher/outfield prospect Cooper Ingle is having a productive August so far at Triple-A Columbus after receiving a big-league opportunity earlier this season. In seven August games, Ingle has two homers and nine RBI with eight runs scored. The catcher/outfielder is heating up again at Triple-A and could force his way back to the majors before the end of this season. Ingle had 21 at-bats in Cleveland and had two RBI while hitting just .095 after recording just two big-league hits. However, Cleveland's No. 3 prospect with a 55-grade hit tool has 18 homers and 61 RBI at Triple-A this season with a .313 batting average, making a case for another ticket back to Cleveland. The Guardians fourth-round draft pick in 2023, Ingle has the versatility to play catcher or in the outfield and has been hitting enough to warrant another look on fantasy rosters.

Cleveland Guardians first base/outfield prospect Ralphy Velazquez is hitting with power to begin August with four homers and seven RBI in six games this month. Velazquez, at age 21, has split time between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus this season with 17 homers combined to go with 61 RBI and 53 runs scored while hitting .277 between both levels. Velazquez is the Guardians' top-ranked prospect and has been given a 60-grade ranking for power with a 50-grade hit tool. The left-handed hitter can play first base or outfield and is looking at a potential late-season promotion to Cleveland. Cleveland recently acquired Nathaniel Lowe at first base, but the team could use the power profile of Velazquez this season, and his recent power surge is proof that he is worth hanging onto in fantasy.

Cleveland Guardians outfielder Angel Martinez nearly accounted for all of the team's runs in their 8-2 victory on the road on Friday night against the division-rival Chicago White Sox. Martinez went 2-for-5 at the plate with a grand slam, a career-high six RBI, and a strikeout. The 24-year-old had a two-run single in the first inning and then hit a grand slam in the fifth inning. Martinez struggled upon his return from the injured list in July, going hitless in 19 plate appearances with no walks and four strikeouts in six games played. The 24-year-old Dominican switch-hitter has flipped a switch so far in August, though, going 7-for-20 (.350) with a homer, two doubles, nine RBI, and three runs scored in six games played. Martinez is now batting .231/.266/.424 on the season with a career-best .690 OPS, 12 home runs, 42 RBI, 31 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 78 games and 284 plate appearances in his third year in the majors with Cleveland. He has a modest strikeout rate of 22.5%, but he has walked a career-low 2.8% of the time in 2026. If Martinez stays hot, he's worth a look in deeper fantasy leagues, and he's rostered in under 10% of Yahoo leagues.

Cleveland Guardians infielder Angel Genao has made an immediate impression, going 5-for-9 through his first two major-league games. The 22-year-old became the first player in franchise history to collect four hits in his MLB debut Wednesday, then added another hit Thursday. He earned the promotion after batting .300 with 13 home runs, 53 RBI, and 11 stolen bases across 96 games between Double-A and Triple-A. There is more here than a two-game hot streak. MLB Pipeline ranks Genao 40th overall and gives him a 60-grade hit tool and 55-grade speed, while his ability to play shortstop, second base, and third gives Cleveland options for keeping him involved. Gabriel Arias was also designated for assignment when Genao arrived. Genao is rostered in only 16% of Yahoo leagues, making him one of the more intriguing high-upside bats still sitting on waiver wires.

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (hand) is starting at third base and batting third in the series finale on Thursday against the visiting New York Mets and right-hander Nolan McLean, according to MLB.com. Ramirez is returning to action after missing the last two games due to soreness in his surgically-repaired left hand. It's great to see the 33-year-old Dominican switch-hitter back in the starting nine, but fantasy managers still have to be a bit concerned that he has gone 8-for-41 (.195) with zero home runs, two RBI, six runs scored, three stolen bases, five walks, and two strikeouts in 11 games since returning from his fractured left hamate bone. The seven-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger winner has not been himself in 2026, and his hand injury did not help. J-Ram returns to Thursday's tilt hitting just .233/.331/.388 with a .720 OPS, 10 homers, 35 RBI, 27 stolen bases, and 48 runs scored in 83 games and 360 plate appearances. He's still a must-start in most fantasy leagues, but it would be nice for him to show some signs of life at the plate. Ramirez has never faced McLean.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee was a mixed bag in the team's 6-5 extra-inning loss to the visiting New York Mets at Progressive Field on Wednesday, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits (three homers) while walking none and striking out a season-high 10 batters in 5 2/3 innings for a no-decision. Bibee allowed back-to-back home runs to Brett Baty and Jorge Polanco in the third inning, and rookie Carson Benge added a solo shot off of him in the sixth frame. Bibee's outing against the Mets broke a string of four straight quality starts, but at least he recorded double-digit strikeouts for the first time this year. The former fifth-rounder in 2021 from California State Fullerton is 4-11 on the year with a 3.85 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 110:38 K:BB in his 138 innings across 24 starts. He'll be looking forward to a third meeting against the division-rival Detroit Tigers in his next outing, as Bibee has a nice 1.80 ERA with three walks and 13 strikeouts in 15 innings in his two starts against them so far in 2026. Bibee will look to put up another quality start in that one, where he should be started in fantasy lineups.

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (hand) will miss a second straight game due to a sore hand on Wednesday in the team's matchup against the visiting New York Mets, according to MLB.com. Rookie infielder Angel Genao will make the start at the hot corner for Cleveland and will hit in the nine-hole against Mets right-hander Christian Scott. Ramirez was out of action on Tuesday due to soreness in his surgically-repaired left hand. The 33-year-old Dominican veteran and seven-time All-Star missed extended time already this year following surgery to fix a fractured hamate bone in his left hand, so it's bad news that he's still dealing with discomfort. J-Ram hasn't looked comfortable at the plate since his return on July 22, going 8-for-41 (.195) with a .478 OPS, zero homers, two RBI, three steals, six runs scored, five walks, and two strikeouts in just 10 games played. Don't be surprised if Ramirez lands back on the IL, which would be another tough break in what has been a bust of a season for the perennial MVP candidate. He's hitting just .233/.331/.388 with a .720 OPS, 10 homers, 35 RBI, 27 steals, and 48 runs scored in his 82 games played in his 14th year in the majors.

Cleveland Guardians catcher/outfield prospect Cooper Ingle has been on an absolute tear since returning to Triple-A Columbus, producing eight consecutive multi-hit efforts, and he has multiple hits in 14 of the 19 games since being sent back down in early July. During that time, he's hitting .425 with nine doubles and five home runs, registering an otherworldly 1.214 OPS over that span. For the season, the former fourth-round draft pick is slashing .328/.438/.605 with 17 home runs in 70 games for the Clippers, and though he went just 2-for-24 (.095) in his first stint with the Guardians, it may not be long before he gets another shot, especially with how hot his bat is. The Clemson product isn't a threat to steal, but has shown he can hit and has enough power to be interesting for fantasy. He's currently only eligible at C in Yahoo! leagues, but could soon become eligible at OF the next time he gets the call. The 24-year-old has certainly put himself on the stash radar again in deeper leagues with this most recent red-hot surge.

Cleveland Guardians infield prospect Angel Genao is getting promoted to the majors on Wednesday for what will be his MLB debut. The Guardians' second-ranked prospect earned the call-up after a strong season that began at Double-A (24 games) and progressed to Triple-A (71 games). Both stops were productive, but he seemed to get even better at the minors' highest level, hitting .309 with a reduced strikeout rate of 15.5 percent while maintaining a solid 12.3 percent walk rate. The switch-hitter belted 10 home runs there (including two on Tuesday) and stole nine bases, producing an .889 OPS for the Clippers. The 5-foot-11 Dominican makes plenty of contact and has enough pop and speed to make for an intriguing fantasy asset. He also can play all over the infield, so should Jose Ramirez (wrist) miss time with the injury that kept him out of Tuesday's contest, Genao could fill in there, or he could handle shortstop or second base if need be, all of which he is eligible to slot into in Yahoo! leagues. The 22-year-old is worth a flier in deep 12+ team leagues, and could become appealing in even shallower formats if he garners regular playing time over the remainder of the season.

Cleveland Guardians left-hander Foster Griffin will make his first start with the team on Thursday against the New York Mets, per Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. The Guardians acquired Griffin from the Washington Nationals on Monday in exchange for four minor leaguers. After three years of pitching in Japan, Griffin returned to the big leagues this season and was having a breakout year with Washington. Across 129 1/3 innings (22 starts) before the trade, he recorded a 12-3 record with a 3.06 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 116 strikeouts. The 31-year-old is averaging just 91.5 miles per hour on his fastball and has logged a middling 22.1% strikeout rate on the year. However, he limits walks (5.7% walk rate) and generates ground balls at a solid clip. In Cleveland, Griffin should remain a quality innings eater who offers solid win potential for fantasy managers.

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (hand) is out of the starting lineup on Tuesday against the visiting New York Mets due to soreness in his surgically-repaired left hand, according to Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Gabriel Arias is making the start at the hot corner and will bat seventh for Cleveland against Mets left-hander Sean Manaea. It's concerning that it's the same hand that Ramirez had surgery on to fix a fractured hamate bone, as this is an injury that could very well send the All-Star third baseman back to the injured list. The 33-year-old seven-time All-Star has only played in 82 games (360 plate appearances) and is hitting an un-J-Ram-like .233/.331/.388 with a .720 OPS, 10 home runs, 35 RBI, 27 stolen bases, and 48 runs scored after reaching the 30-homer mark in three of the last five seasons for the Guards. Ramirez has had a tough time bouncing back from his original hand injury, as he's posted a .478 OPS since the All-Star break. This setback should have his fantasy managers worried that he won't bounce back to his pre-injury form again until maybe next year.

The Cleveland Guardians acquired left-hander Foster Griffin from the Washington Nationals on Monday, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The Athletic's Spencer Nusbaum reports that the Guardians are sending minor-league pitchers Will Dion, Josh Hartle, and Kendeglys Virguez, and outfielder Nick Mitchell to the Nationals. The 31-year-old veteran southpaw will head to the American League Central to bolster Cleveland's starting rotation alongside Gavin Williams, Parker Messick, Joey Cantillo, and Tanner Bibee. Griffin will become a free agent after the 2026 season, so he could end up just being a rental for the rest of this year. The former first-rounder by the Kansas City Royals in 2014 has gone 12-3 this year with a 3.06 ERA (4.09 FIP) and 1.07 WHIP with 116 strikeouts and 30 walks in 22 starts and 129 1/3 innings pitched in his first big-league season since 2022 after spending the last three years playing in Japan. Griffin is currently tied for fourth in baseball with his 12 wins, and he will definitely bolster the Guards' rotation down the stretch. The lefty allowed six earned runs in 5 1/3 innings in a loss to the Atlanta Braves his last time out last Friday, but Griffin had a strong stretch from June 5 through July 19 where he didn't allow more than an earned run in any of his eight starts for the Nats.