Guardians trade for two pitchers to round out Opening Day roster
The Guardians introduced this morning that they’ve accomplished a pair of trades for pitching depth. Cleveland acquired right-hander Peter Strzelecki from the Diamondbacks in alternate for money and bought righty Zak Kent from the Rangers in alternate for worldwide bonus pool house. Arizona designated Strzelecki for task earlier within the week. Each pitchers might be added to the Guardians’ 40-man roster, which had two vacant spots however is now at capability.
Now 29 years outdated, Strzelecki broke into the majors as an unheralded 27-year-old rookie with the 2022 Brewers and rapidly grew to become an important a part of their bullpen that season. The undrafted righty made 30 appearances out of the ’pen and tossed 35 innings with a 2.83 ERA, 27 % strikeout price and 10.1 % stroll price in 35 innings. As an excessive fly-ball pitcher (31.1 % ground-ball price) in a hitter-friendly park who’d had some luck by way of dwelling runs (0.51 HR/9, 5.3 % homer-to-flyball price) there was all the time some potential for regression, however Strzelecki stumbled in 2023 for what gave the impression to be totally different causes.
Whereas Strzelecki managed to proceed yielding dwelling runs at a a lot decrease price than the common pitcher, he additionally misplaced greater than a mile per hour off his fastball and noticed his strikeout price drop notably, from 27 % to 22.7 %. He offset a few of that drop in whiffs with extra grounders (38.1 %) and fewer walks (7.4 %), however his earned run common nonetheless jumped to 4.38 in final 12 months’s 37 frames. Metrics like FIP (2.94 in 2022, 3.93 in 2023) and SIERA (3.47 in ’22, 3.93 in ’203) felt his bounce in ERA was deserved, although maybe not fairly to the extent it truly elevated.
The Brewers despatched Strzelecki to the D-backs in a deadline swap that introduced veteran lefty Andrew Chafin again to Milwaukee. Arizona solely gave him 1 1/3 innings within the huge leagues following that commerce, and Strzelecki was designated for task earlier this week when a spot on the 40-man roster was wanted for backup catcher Tucker Barnhart. The proper-hander nonetheless has a minor league possibility remaining and is controllable for 5 extra seasons if he can get again on monitor in his new environment.
Kent, 26, was the Rangers’ ninth-round choose again in 2019 however climbed into the center tiers of the Rangers’ high 30 prospects and was chosen to the 40-man roster following the 2022 season. On the time, the transfer was made to guard Kent from being chosen in that 12 months’s Rule 5 Draft — which appeared fairly prone to occur had he gone unprotected. Kent had simply wrapped up a 2022 season that was break up between Double-A and Triple-A, whereby he pitched a mixed 109 2/3 innings of three.94 ERA ball with roughly common strikeout and stroll charges. Baseball America credited him with a plus heater and slider along with a solid-average curveball however below-average command.
Kent missed time in 2022 with again, hip and indirect accidents, and well being troubles (indirect and shoulder points) hindered his 2023 season even additional. He pitched simply 40 2/3 frames final 12 months — plus one other 16 2/3 within the Arizona Fall League. He confirmed barely improved strikeout and stroll charges when wholesome, although he was nonetheless hit exhausting throughout AFL play. Kent appeared in three spring video games for the Rangers however was tagged for 5 earned runs with extra walks (three) than strikeouts (two) in 3 2/3 innings. He nonetheless has a pair of minor league possibility years remaining.
The Guards are opening the season with righty Gavin Williams on the injured record and might be with out often injured pitching prospect Daniel Espino for the complete season. Additionally they misplaced setup man Trevor Stephan to Tommy John surgical procedure, whereas relievers James Karinchak (elbow) and Sam Hentges (finger) are on the injured record as effectively. Strzelecki and Kent aren’t prone to step proper onto the energetic roster, however they’ll give Cleveland some extra depth to assist navigate that slew of accidents to start the season.