Cleveland Guardians Transactions

Sunday, January 15

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Cleveland Guardians and reliever James Karinchak avoided salary arbitration after inking a one-year, $1.5 million deal. Known to have one of the most sophisticated routines in the game, Karinchak has established himself as one of the most dependable Cleveland arms. He dealt with a shoulder strain this past season which sidelined him for a considerable amount of time, but he still managed to make an impact. Through 38 appearances, Karinchak molded a 2.08 ERA with 62 strikeouts and a 38.8% strikeout rate. He continues to work his way up in the Guardians clubhouse and is vying to increase his workload this coming season. If he can stay healthy, Karinchak is expected to be in a high-leverage role for the Guardians and could see a few save chances behind star closer Emmanuel Clase.

Friday, January 13

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Cleveland Guardians and first baseman/outfielder Josh Naylor avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.35 million deal on Friday. Naylor had by far his best season in the big leagues for Cleveland last year, posting career-highs in home runs (20), RBI (79), runs scored (47) and stolen bases (six) in 122 games while slashing .256/.319/.452 with a .771 OPS. The 25-year-old left-handed slugger from Canada has hit just .209 in his career against left-handed pitchers in four seasons, though, so he loses a lot of mixed league value for fantasy managers as a platoon player for the Guardians.
		The Cleveland Guardians and starting pitcher Shane Bieber avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $10.01 million deal. Bieber was once again excellent for Cleveland and fantasy managers alike in 2022 in his fifth major-league season, going 13-8 with a 2.88 ERA (2.87 FIP), 1.04 WHIP and 25 percent strikeout rate in 200 innings over his 31 starts. Since 2019, the two-time All-Star and American League Cy Young winner in 2020 has a sharp 2.91 ERA (2.96 FIP), 1.05 WHIP and 713 strikeouts in 588 1/3 innings pitched over 93 outings (92 starts). Bieber is one of the most reliable fantasy aces out there.

Wednesday, January 04

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Cleveland Guardians and free-agent outfielder Roman Quinn are reportedly in agreement on a minor-league contract, per a tweet from FanSided's Robert Murray on Wednesday morning. Quinn, who spent last season with the Phillies and Rays, gets an invite to spring training. The 29-year-old hit .215 with a .287 on-base percentage and four stolen bases in 87 plate appearances last season. He'll give the American League Central club some additional outfield depth heading into the season. As of now, Cleveland's outfield options on the 40-man roster include Will Benson, Steven Kwan, Myles Straw, Will Brennan, Oscar Gonzalez, Richie Palacios and George Valera.

Tuesday, December 13

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Cleveland Guardians signed free-agent catcher Mike Zunino (shoulder) to a one-year, $6 million deal on Tuesday. Zunino played in only 36 games for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2022 and had thoracic outlet surgery in July. However, the 31-year-old backstop is expected to be ready for the start of the 2023 season, where he should serve as the Guardians' primary catcher. Eventually, though, catching prospect Bo Naylor could begin to earn more playing time, depending on how he performs. Zunino has been able to provide plenty of power at the catcher position in fantasy with 146 long balls in 10 big-league seasons, but he also strikes out a ton and won't do you any favors in the batting-average department with a career slash line of .200/.271/.410. He hit just .148 with five home runs and 16 RBI last year before his injury.

Tuesday, December 06

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Cleveland Guardians signed free-agent first baseman Josh Bell to a two-year deal worth $33 million on Tuesday. The deal includes an opt-out clause after next season. It was reported earlier in the day that Bell was among the players on Cleveland's list. The 30-year-old switch-hitting first baseman hit .301 with 14 home runs, 57 RBI and 52 runs scored in 103 games for the Washington Nationals in the first half of the season before being traded to the San Diego Padres. In 53 regular season games for the Friars, Bell was a liability at the plate, hitting just .192/.316/.271 with three homers, 14 RBI and 26 runs scored. Bell will give the Guardians some much-needed power, and they'll be hoping that he can offer more middle-of-the-order protection for third baseman Jose Ramirez.
		Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase was named the 2022 Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award on Tuesday. Clase is a first-time recipient of the award, and the 24-year-old was also named an All-Star for the first time in his career in 2022. He had a sparkling 1.36 ERA and led the majors with 42 saves for the Guardians. His 77 appearances were tied with Toronto Blue Jays reliever Adam Cimber for the most by any player, and Clase's 67 games finished were 13 more than any other pitcher. In the last two seasons, Clase has posted a 1.33 ERA in 148 outings while racking up 77 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings. Clase has become one of the most attractive closers in fantasy.

Thursday, December 01

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Cleveland Guardians agreed to re-sign left-hander Anthony Gose (elbow) to a two-year minor-league deal on Thursday, according to sources. Gose continues to rehab after having Tommy John surgery in September, and he will not be able to play at all in 2023. The deal pays him $1 million per season if he's in the big leagues. The 32-year-old former outfielder went 3-0 for the Guardians in 2022 and posted a 4.71 ERA (5.06 FIP), a 1.38 WHIP, 28 strikeouts and 14 walks in 21 innings pitched in the big leagues over 22 relief appearances. He's obviously well off the fantasy radar and won't even pitch for Cleveland next season.

Thursday, November 10

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (thumb) underwent successful right thumb surgery on Wednesday to fix the ulnar collateral ligament injury that he suffered in June. Ramirez is expected to resume baseball activity in six to eight weeks. The 30-year-old All-Star played through the injury, but his power production definitely took a dip in the latter part of the season as a result. J-Ram was still one of the best all-around hitting third baseman in the game in 2022, finishing with a .280/.355/.514 slash line with an .869 OPS, 29 home runs, 126 RBI, 90 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in 601 at-bats for Cleveland. He should be ready to go for spring training next year, barring any setbacks, so Ramirez should one again be an elite fantasy third baseman in 2023 drafts.

Tuesday, November 08

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (thumb) will have thumb surgery on Wednesday. Ramirez initially injured his thumb in mid-June but played the rest of the season with the injury while noticeably being affected by it at the plate. But all in all, the 30-year-old Dominican switch-hitter was still one of the best hitters in baseball when all was said and done, as he finished with a .280/.355/.514 slash line with an .869 OPS, 29 home runs, a career-high 126 RBI, 90 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in 685 plate appearances over 157 games in his fourth All-Star campaign. J-Ram should be fully recovered by spring training and should be one of the first few fantasy third baseman off the board in drafts.

Saturday, October 22

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez (thumb) was dealing with a non-displaced fracture in his left thumb over the last month of the season, but he won't need surgery and is expected to fully heal in a couple of weeks. Gimenez was hit by 25 pitches this year, which was the most in the American League. It helps explain why he went just 5-for-28 (.179) with no homers, one RBI and 14 strikeouts in seven postseason games after he slashed a strong .297/.371/.466 with an .837 OPS, 17 home runs, 69 RBI, 66 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in 491 regular season at-bats for the Guardians. The 24-year-old Venezuelan infielder should be ready to go for the 2023 season and will be a highly coveted fantasy commodity.

Thursday, October 20

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (hand) is scheduled to undergo surgery on his right hand in the coming weeks. It was an option for Ramirez midway through the season, according to a source, but he would have missed substantial time and preferred to play through it. The 30-year-old initially suffered the injury in mid-June and only missed two games. He wasn't as good the rest of the season after the injury, but he still finished with an impressive .280/.355/.514 slash line with an .869 OPS, 29 home runs, a career-high 126 RBI, 90 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in 601 regular season at-bats. Ramirez's 44 doubles led the league. The four-time All-Star continues to be one of the best hitters in baseball and will be highly coveted once again early in 2023 fantasy drafts.

Monday, October 10

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Nick Sandlin (back, shoulder) is dealing with an upper back/shoulder strain and will miss the rest of the postseason. Sandlin was forced from his relief appearance in Game 2 of the American League Wild-Card Series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday and won't pitch again until next year. With the 25-year-old now on the shelf for the rest of the playoffs, Cody Morris and Aaron Civale will be options to join Cleveland's bullpen for the AL Division Series against the New York Yankees this week. In 46 relief appearances for the Guardians this year, Sandlin had a strong 2.25 ERA (3.68 FIP), a 1.16 WHIP, 41 strikeouts and 24 walks in 44 innings in his second big-league season.

Sunday, October 02

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Cleveland Guardians catcher prospect Bo Naylor had his contract selected from Triple-A Columbus on Saturday and made his major league debut against the Kansas City Royals. Naylor came in for Luke Maile in the sixth inning and went hitless in two at-bats, striking out once. The 22-year-old had a very nice season in the minors, slashing .263/.392/.496 while adding 21 homers and 20 steals. If he is given an opportunity to start for the Guardians next season, he could be a sleeper at the catcher position with his power/speed combo. It is worth keeping an eye on this situation during the postseason and next spring.

Thursday, September 29

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Cleveland Guardians right-hander Zach Plesac (hand) will switch spots with Aaron Civale in the starting rotation this week and be moved back to Saturday against the Kansas City Royals, with Civale going on Friday. Plesac will then potentially move to a relief role for the postseason. Civale will make his final start of the regular season next Wednesday. The 27-year-old Plesac will be coming off the injured list to start this weekend. He'll return to a 3-11 record, 4.39 ERA (4.49 FIP), a 1.31 WHIP, 99 strikeouts and 37 walks in 127 innings pitched over his 23 starts in 2022.

Monday, September 26

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Cleveland Guardians pitcher Zach Plesac (hand) is tentatively scheduled to start Friday against the Kansas City Royals. He was placed on the injured list on September 2 with a fractured right hand. The 27-year-old threw 45 pitches during a simulated game on Tuesday. He has gone 3-11 with a 4.39 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 99 K's in 127 innings (23 starts). Plesac will most likely be on a pitch count, making him hard for fantasy managers to trust even if he does make his start on Friday. Managers should wait to see how Plesac pitches on Friday before inserting him into their lineups.

Wednesday, September 21

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Cleveland Guardians selected the contract of outfielder Will Brennan from Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday, and he will make his big-league debut against the Chicago White Sox and right-hander Lance Lynn. Brennan is starting in right field and batting seventh. The team also recalled infielder Gabriel Arias from Columbus, optioned outfielder Richie Palacios to Columbus and designated infielder Ernie Clement for assignment. The team's No. 20 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, Brennan hit a combined .314/.371/.479 with an .850 OPS, 13 home runs, 107 RBI, 69 runs scored and 20 steals in 129 games with Double-A Akron and Columbus this year. It remains to be seen how much the 24-year-old left-handed hitter will play down the stretch, but he's obviously been swinging a hot bat all year down on the farm.

Saturday, September 17

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Cleveland Guardians right-hander Aaron Civale (forearm) will be activated from the injured list to make a start against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. Civale landed on the injured list with inflammation in his right forearm. The veteran hurler has mostly struggled in 2022, although he had started to pitch better before getting sidelined by the injury. Overall, Civale has a 2-6 record, 5.40 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 75 strikeouts over 75 innings of work.

Friday, September 16

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The plan is for Cleveland Guardians right-hander Aaron Civale (forearm) to return to the starting rotation and pitch against the Chicago White Sox next Tuesday, according to manager Terry Francona. Civale surrendered four earned runs and allowed two home runs in 2 2/3 innings in his minor league rehab start on Thursday, but the Guardians feel he's ready to return to their rotation next week. The 27-year-old hasn't pitched well in the big leagues this year either, going 2-6 with a 5.40 ERA (3.92 FIP), a 1.31 WHIP, 75 strikeouts and 20 walks in 75 innings over his 16 starts. Civale won't particularly be an attractive streaming option for fantasy managers in his first start back, though he could be a two-start pitcher next week.

Thursday, September 15

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Cleveland Guardians left-hander Anthony Gose (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday in Texas. He's expected to need 12 to 18 months to recover from the elbow reconstruction, so he's highly unlikely to pitch at all for Cleveland next season. Gose hasn't pitched for the Guardians since early July, and he had a 4.71 ERA (5.07 FIP), a 1.38 WHIP, 28 strikeouts and 14 walks in 21 relief innings this year. The 32-year-old southpaw is well off the fantasy baseball radar.

Friday, September 02

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Cleveland Guardians placed starting pitchers Zach Plesac (hand) and Aaron Civale (forearm) on the injured list on Friday and added Xzavion Curry and Kirk McCarty to the active roster in corresponding moves. Plesac was scratched from his start on Friday against the Seattle Mariners with a right hand fracture, while Civale is dealing with right forearm inflammation. Pitching prospect Cody Morris will make his major league debut on Friday against Seattle and will be a risky streamer for fantasy managers. There's a chance that both Plesac and Civale won't pitch for the Guardians again in 2022. Plesac has gone 3-11 with a 4.39 ERA (4.50 FIP), 1.31 WHIP and 99 K's in 127 innings (23 starts). Civale has a 5.40 ERA (3.94 FIP), 1.31 WHIP and 75 strikeouts in 75 innings (16 starts).

Thursday, September 01

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Cleveland Guardians are calling up right-hander Cody Morris (shoulder) and infielder Ernie Clement as their September call-ups with rosters expanding on Thursday. Anthony Castro has been designated for assignment in a corresponding move. Morris, the team's No. 15 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was activated from the 60-day injured list and will be making his MLB debut after being shut down with a teres major muscle strain in his right shoulder in late March. The 25-year-old had a 2.35 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and 30 strikeouts to six walks in 15 1/3 rehab innings at Triple-A Columbus. Morris profiles as a starter down the road for Cleveland, but he's expected to make his debut out of the bullpen this month.