Cleveland Guardians News

Across 501 plate appearances in 2026, Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana is hitting .245/.337/.404 with 15 home runs, 57 RBI, 53 runs scored, and 19 stolen bases. The 24-year-old's underlying batted-ball metrics are underwhelming, as he's logged just a 4.8% barrel rate and a 36.2% hard-hit rate. However, Bazzana's 11.2% walk rate is impressive for a young player and helps him get on base consistently and use his speed. Bazzana has also been red-hot of late, hitting .288 with six home runs, 15 RBI, and 11 runs scored across 69 plate appearances in September. If the former top prospect is starting to grow into his power, he could begin to emerge as one of the better second base options for fantasy managers. In leagues where he's on the waiver wire, Bazzana should be a priority target for fantasy managers.

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) is starting in right field and batting third for the Guardians on Friday against the visiting Athletics and right-hander Mason Barnett, per MLB.com. DeLauter has missed some time in recent weeks with a sprained right wrist, but he is back in action to begin the weekend series against the A's after missing each of the last two games on Tuesday and Wednesday against the division-rival Chicago White Sox. The 24-year-old former first-rounder has been money for Cleveland in his first year in the big leagues in 2026, slashing .289/.362/.453 with an .815 OPS, 14 home runs, 62 RBI, 57 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across his 464 at-bats. DeLauter has only gone deep three times in 45 second-half games, but he has hit lefties well and is coming off a month of August in which he slashed .363/.440/.538 with a .977 OPS, two homers, and nine RBI in 22 games played. If his wrist injury does not impact him the rest of the way, DeLauter will be looking to put a bow on a strong first year in the bigs.

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) remains out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's contest against the division-rival Chicago White Sox, per MLB.com. Jo Adell will make another start in right field for Cleveland and will bat third against White Sox left-hander Anthony Kay. DeLauter will miss a second straight game after aggravating a right-wrist injury that has been giving him problems recently. With a scheduled day off coming on Thursday, the hope is that the left-handed-hitting outfielder will be ready to return for the start of a new series on Friday versus the Athletics. It is certainly bad timing for the Guardians to be without one of their most consistent hitters all year, as the former first-rounder has slashed .289/.362/.453 this year with an .815 OPS, 14 home runs, 62 RBI, 57 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across his 464 at-bats in his first MLB campaign. Fantasy managers need to check back on Friday for an update on DeLauter.

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) felt his right-wrist issue again in his final at-bat on Monday night and came in sore on Tuesday, which is why he is out of the starting lineup against the division-rival Chicago White Sox, according to Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. Manager Stephen Vogt said that DeLauter is day-to-day. Outfielder Angel Martinez (side) is also day-to-day and is out of the starting nine, giving Jo Adell a start in right field while he bats third for Cleveland on Tuesday against White Sox left-hander Chris Murphy. DeLauter's wrist injury caused him to miss four straight games recently, and he apparently is not fully recovered. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger is day-to-day for now, but if he cannot play through the end of the week, the Guards might be forced to shut him down for the remainder of the 2026 season. DeLauter has been excellent in his first 464 major-league at-bats this year, slashing .289/.362/.453 with an .815 OPS, 14 homers, 62 RBI, 57 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. He has cooled off a bit after a blistering month of August, though, and has gone 9-for-37 (.243) with a homer, four doubles, two RBI, two runs, and two steals in 10 games so far in September.

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) is starting in right field and will bat second on Wednesday against the hosting Baltimore Orioles and right-hander Shane Baz, according to MLB.com. DeLauter is returning to the diamond on Wednesday after missing each of the last four games due to a sprained right wrist that he suffered late last week. Surprisingly, the rookie left-handed-hitting outfielder avoided a stint on the injured list and will be back in action at Camden Yards on Wednesday. Fantasy managers are hoping that the 24-year-old is not slowed down at the plate at all by his recent wrist injury. The former first-rounder has been one of the most consistent rookie hitters this year, slashing .294/.365/.458 with an .823 OPS, 13 home runs, 60 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 56 runs scored across 445 total at-bats. DeLauter is coming off an excellent month of August, too, in which he hit .363 (29-for-80) with a .977 OPS, two home runs, four doubles, two triples, nine RBI, 17 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 22 games. Get him back into your starting lineup against Baz and the O's on Wednesday.

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) remains absent from the team's starting lineup on Tuesday on the road against the Baltimore Orioles, per MLB.com. Angel Martinez will get another start in right field and will bat sixth versus Orioles right-hander Brandon Young. It will be DeLauter's fourth straight game on the bench with a right-wrist sprain that he suffered late last week. The Guardians are not expecting DeLauter to land on the injured list, but if his absence continues, they could change their stance. His next chance to play will be in Wednesday's series finale against Baltimore, but with a scheduled day off coming on Thursday, it is more realistic that we will not see him again until Friday's series opener versus the division-rival Minnesota Twins on the road at Target Field. The 24-year-old former first-rounder from James Madison University has been a consistent offensive producer in Cleveland in 2026 when he has been healthy, hitting .294 (131-for-445) with 13 long balls, 60 RBI, 56 runs scored, and 10 steals across his 120 games and 499 plate appearances. DeLauter is rostered in 64% of Yahoo leagues.

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) missed another game in Monday's series opener against the Baltimore Orioles, but manager Stephen Vogt did say that DeLauter is "feeling a lot better." The 24-year-old left-handed hitter was scheduled to do some hitting before the game. DeLauter suffered a sprained wrist late last week, but he managed to avoid a significant sprain and is considered day-to-day. The Guardians are not expecting him to land on the injured list. Angel Martinez got another start in right field on Monday for Cleveland with DeLauter out. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Tuesday to see if DeLauter is feeling good enough to return to the starting nine. The former 16th overall pick has handled himself quite well in his first year in the big leagues in 2025, slashing .294/.365/.458 with an .823 OPS, 13 homers, 60 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 56 runs scored across 120 games and 499 plate appearances. Even more impressively, he has hit .336 (47-for-140) with an .861 OPS in 154 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers.

Cleveland Guardians infielder Angel Genao's underlying metrics make him an intriguing player to target on the waiver wire, especially in deeper fantasy baseball leagues. On the surface, Genao's stats look mediocre at best. In 27 games since his promotion to the majors on August 5, he is slashing .255/.314/.362 with two homers, six RBI, 12 runs, a 6.9% walk rate, a 12.7% strikeout rate, and 92 wRC+. However, a few things stand out as reasons why managers should be optimistic about Genao going forward. First of all, the 92 wRC+ is slightly below league average, but not by much. That could very easily trend upward as he gets more games under his belt. Additionally, his 12.7% strikeout rate reveals that he's seeing the zone well and putting the ball in play. That strikeout rate ranks in the 93rd percentile among MLB batters. Finally, what the box score won't show is that Genao has been producing a very high quality of contact. His 91.0 mph average exit velocity, 52% hard-hit rate, and 33% squared-up rate all rank within the upper echelon of hitters. All of these factors help solidify Genao's case as a late-season waiver wire pickup. He's available in 96% of leagues and has eligibility at second base, third base, and shortstop.

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) is not in the team's starting lineup for Saturday's game against the division-rival Detroit Tigers after spraining his right wrist on Friday in the second game of a doubleheader, according to MLB.com. Angel Martinez is making the start in right field and will bat second against Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez after having an injury scare of his own in the series opener on Friday. The good news is that DeLauter is being considered day-to-day, but do not be surprised if he does not play in the remainder of the series against Detroit. Cleveland cannot afford to lose the 24-year-old DeLauter to another stint on the injured list down the stretch, as he has been extremely consistent in his first year in the big leagues in 2026 with a .294/.365/.458 slash line, 13 home runs, 60 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 56 runs scored across his 445 at-bats. If DeLauter sits out the rest of the weekend series, his next chance to return to the lineup will come in Monday's series opener in Baltimore against the Orioles.

Cleveland Guardians first base prospect Ralphy Velazquez has been hitting all season in the minors and is coming off an outrageously productive month in August at Triple-A Columbus, making him well worth a late-season stash opportunity in most fantasy leagues. In 90 August at-bats, Velazquez crushed 15 homers with 34 RBI while hitting .356 with 23 runs scored. That brought Velazquez' Triple-A totals this season to 28 homers and 89 RBI with a .290 batting average. The 21-year-old left-handed hitter is the No. 2 prospect in the Guardians' system and has a 50-grade hit tool with 60-grade power. He wasn't called up to Cleveland at the beginning of September, but he still could make a late-season cameo in the big leagues. He is worth taking that stash risk on because of his power potential and overall hitting ability.

Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) was removed early during Friday's doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers. According to Tim Stebbins, DeLauter exited the second game on Friday due to a right wrist sprain. He'll finish his day 2-for-5 with two doubles, a stolen base, and a walk. This is not an ideal situation for the Guardians, who lost outfielder Angel Martinez (shoulder) during the first game of Friday's doubleheader. DeLauter has been solid when he's healthy, but keeping him on the field has been difficult. For now, fantasy managers should consider DeLauter as day-to-day. Travis Bazzana took over as the designated hitter on Friday night and could see a few more starts there over the next few days. UPDATE: Manager Stephen Vogt said that DeLauter is considered day-to-day.

Cleveland Guardians infielder/outfielder Angel Martinez (shoulder) was forced to make an early exit during Friday's doubleheader versus the Detroit Tigers. According to Chris McCosky, Martinez was taken out of the game after a collision with teammate Brayan Rocchio in the fourth inning. He exited the first game hitless in two plate appearances and hasn't entered the second contest on Friday. The Guardians are considering Martinez as day-to-day with a bruised left shoulder. It doesn't sound like Martinez will require a trip to the Injured List, but the Guardians could be careful with Martinez over the next few days.

Across 86 plate appearances since making his MLB debut on August 5, Cleveland Guardians infielder Angel Genao is hitting .253/.314/.367 with two home runs, five RBI, 10 runs scored, and one stolen base. The 22-year-old has played every infield position other than first base, which should help keep him in the Guardians lineup most days. Genao has also posted an excellent 53.7% hard-hit rate, although his power upside is limited by his tendency to hit the ball on the ground (67.2% ground-ball rate). With his ability to consistently hit the ball hard and his well above-average 12.8% strikeout rate, Genao could work his way into being a high-end source of batting average for fantasy managers. The young infielder even demonstrated some five-category upside during his time in the minors this season, hitting .300 with 13 home runs, 53 RBI, 63 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across 419 plate appearances before being called up. In leagues where he's not already rostered, Genao could be worth targeting on the waiver wire.

Cleveland Guardians catcher/outfield prospect Cooper Ingle's chances of returning to the majors this season are fading as a prolonged slump has cooled him off at the plate ever since a torrid stretch of multi-hit games that lasted from mid July to early August. Since that hot stretch, the Guardians' fifth-ranked prospect has gone 11-for-64 (.172) over his last 19 games, and hasn't recorded an extra-base hit since August 12, a period of 13 games. The silver lining here is that he continues to draw walks in bunches, tallying another two on Tuesday night and 25 during the 19-game "slump" (compared to 26 strikeouts), which allowed him to produce an on-base percentage of .417 over that same period. The left-handed hitter's season-long numbers at Triple-A still look good, with a .297/.433/.531 slash line, but there are likely better stash options available on the waiver wire in redraft leagues that have a better chance of being recalled.

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams had a dominant bounce-back performance on Tuesday night in the team's 6-1 win at Progressive Field over the Toronto Blue Jays. Williams only allowed an unearned run on two hits while walking one and striking out a career-high 13 batters in seven innings to win his 13th game of the year and lower his ERA to 3.81. He lasted just 1 1/3 frames in his last outing in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels, surrendering five earned runs on six hits (two homers) while walking one and striking out three. Overall, it has been a successful 2026 campaign for the 27-year-old former first-rounder from East Carolina University, primarily because he has lowered his walk rate to a career-low 7.8% in 156 innings across 27 starts. But Williams has also improved his swing-and-miss stuff and has a career-high 32.3% strikeout rate. His 13-K performance on Tuesday was his ninth game this year with double-digit strikeouts. Williams will be a must-start in fantasy in his next scheduled outing versus the division-rival Detroit Tigers, whom he has yet to face in 2026.

Cleveland Guardians first base/outfield prospect Ralphy Velazquez capped off a scorching August by getting on base three times on Sunday, going 1-for-3 with a single and two walks. The Guardians' second-ranked prospect hit .356 in August with an otherworldly 1.299 OPS and 15 home runs in 23 games. The effort pushed his slash line at Triple-A to .281/.364/.551 with 21 home runs in 75 games for the Clippers while striking out at a better-than-average rate of 20.8 percent. The former first-round draft pick looks ready to put his power on display in the majors, and could give Cleveland a much-needed offensive boost (4.07 runs/per game, third-worst). The left-handed hitter could get his chance now that the calendar has turned to September and rosters expand. With the kind of power in his bat, the 21-year-old is one of the top stashes for home runs and could provide a decent average along with ample RBI as well down the stretch.

Cleveland Guardians catcher prospect Cooper Ingle is struggling a bit in August at Triple-A Columbus, hitting just .239 with two homers and 10 RBI. The left-handed hitter had a stint with Cleveland earlier in the season but struggled hitting just 2-for-21 with two RBI in the big leagues. He's had a relatively tough month back at Columbus and is unlikely to be called up to Cleveland again this season with the Guardians already having the tandem of Austin Hedges and Patrick Bailey healthy at the catcher position. Ingle is the No. 5 prospect in the Cleveland organization and has a 55-grade hit tool. The Guardians have tried him a bit in the outfield but he is unlikely to stick there. Ingle looks to be more of a dynasty league play and makes for a risky addition in redraft leagues.

Cleveland Guardians first base prospect Ralphy Velazquez hit another home run on Friday night to continue his scorching-hot month of August at Triple-A Columbus. Velazquez has 15 homers and 32 RBI in this month while hitting .357. The first base prospect is forcing the Guardians to consider adding him to the major league roster, making a September call-up the most likely scenario. Between Double-A Akron and Columbus this season, Velazquez has hit .292 with 28 homers and 86 RBI along with 69 runs scored. The left-handed hitter is the Guardians' No. 2 prospect with 60-grade power along with a 50-grade hit tool. At 21 years old, Velazquez is a league-winning type addition to fantasy rosters and looks like a real difference-maker down the stretch in redraft leagues.

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (hamstring) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting second in his return to the starting lineup for Friday's series opener at home against the division-rival Kansas City Royals and veteran right-hander Michael Wacha, per MLB.com. DeLauter is returning to Cleveland's starting nine after missing the last three games with a tight hamstring, although he did enter the last game against the Los Angeles Angels for a clutch single in the ninth inning. Fantasy managers will want to get the 24-year-old former first-rounder back into their starting lineups to begin the weekend against a right-handed pitcher. In his first year in the big leagues, DeLauter has looked like he belongs, slashing .289/.363/.451 with an .814 OPS, 13 home runs, 59 RBI, 52 runs scored, and nine stolen bases for the Guards. He has especially looked great at the plate in August, going 24-for-68 (.353) with a .972 OPS, two homers, two doubles, two triples, eight RBI, 14 runs, and three stolen bases in 19 games. DeLauter is hitless in just two career at-bats against Wacha.

Despite allowing a run in two of his last three appearances, Cleveland Guardians right-handed closer Cade Smith has locked down five saves since his last blown save on Aug. 5 against the New York Mets. In 10 appearances (10 innings pitched) in August, Smith has allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits with six walks, 14 strikeouts, five saves, and one blown save. The 27-year-old Canadian earned his first All-Star nod this year and has really stepped up at the back end of the Guards' bullpen in 2026, going 3-1 with a 2.40 ERA (2.52 FIP), 1.08 WHIP, a career-high 35 saves, 84 strikeouts, and 20 walks in 60 relief innings. His 35 saves trail only Tampa Bay Rays closer Bryan Baker for the lead in MLB, and his 84 strikeouts are tied with Brent Headrick and Grant Taylor for fifth in baseball among all relievers. The former 16th-round pick by the Minnesota Twins in 2017 has picked up a save in each of his last four appearances out of the bullpen, and he's not slowing down at all as we approach the final month of the regular season in September.