After a week off, Terry’s Talkin’ is back with a lot on its plate: the Browns’ quarterback call, the final roster shakeup, the Guardians’ stretch run, and whether the Cavaliers really got better after their recent moves.
The Browns made their choice last week by naming Deshaun Watson the starting quarterback, and Terry Pluto and host David Campbell dug into the reaction. Pluto laid out three reasons Browns fans could still find some good news in the move, even if the decision itself didn’t exactly light up the fan base. He also pointed out something simple but important: Watson probably won’t play all 17 games anyway, since very few NFL quarterbacks do these days because of injuries or just plain ineffectiveness.
One of the sharper questions from the episode was whether Watson missed a chance to win people over. Instead of leaning into accountability after his rough play, he went defensive and talked up his own hard work, which may not have done much to calm frustrated fans.
The quarterback room got even more complicated when backup Dylan Gabriel was placed on injured reserve with a back injury. There’s also a belief floating around that the move could be a strategic stash rather than just a straightforward injury situation.
There was plenty to say about the Browns beyond quarterback, too. Taylor Green has clearly caught their attention with his raw athleticism, and that kind of explosiveness gives them a potential situational weapon for Wildcat looks and other creative uses. Pluto also noted that under Todd Monken, the Browns are sending a message about 2026: the sloppy presnap penalties on offense are going away.
And after the final cuts, the Browns are carrying the second-youngest active roster in the NFL, at just over 26 years old. The organization is also optimistic that kicker Andre Szmyt can bring some long-term stability to a position that has been anything but settled.
On the baseball side, the Guardians are entering the last month of the schedule in solid shape, sitting in second place in the AL Central and trailing the White Sox by 3.5 games. Pluto said the team has been helped by strategic midseason additions to the lineup, and Jose Ramirez has been one of the biggest reasons for the push. He came back from injury early, but he’s been scorching at the plate and backing it up with elite exit velocities, which is exactly the kind of loud contact the Guardians needed.
Rookie Chase DeLauter has also kept the offense moving. Despite dealing with physical setbacks, he’s emerged as one of the AL’s most consistent hitters and is sitting at .293.
Then there’s Tanner Bibee, whose 5-14 record tells a misleading story. Pluto described it as a huge statistical anomaly driven by terrible run support, not a reflection of Bibee’s actual pitching, which includes a 3.88 ERA and a heavy workload of quality starts.
The episode also included a prospects report, with Pluto saying the Guardians’ minor league system still has some top-end bats coming.
From there, the conversation turned to the Cavaliers and the big question: are they better than they were a few months ago? Pluto tried to sort through that, and he also passed along what he’s been hearing about James Harden and his new three-year, $97 million deal.
In Other News...
Clase And Ortiz Face A Damaging New Twist In Cleveland Case
Federal prosecutors say the Cleveland Guardians pitchers at the center of the alleged pitch-rigging and betting case did more than simply face accusations tied to baseball integrity. In court filings, they allege Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz tried to mislead Major League Baseball investigators about their involvement, deepening a scandal that has already put the club in the middle of one of the sports uglier legal fights.
Both pitchers have pleaded not guilty to charges that include conspiracy, fraud, money laundering and sports bribery, and the case is now headed toward a November 2 trial. Prosecutors contend the pair ran afoul of MLBs Rule 21, which bars betting on baseball, while also attempting to hide payments and their roles during the leagues inquiry, adding another layer of risk for a franchise still waiting for this case to play out. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Bullpen Move Comes With One Roster Twist To Watch
The Guardians are set to get a little more flexibility as September roster expansion gives the club a chance to shuffle some pieces around. Right-hander Carlos Hernndez will be added to the major league roster to fill an open spot on the 40-man, while utility man Daniel Schneemann is also coming back up from Triple-A Columbus to give Cleveland some extra bench depth.
Hernndez has been in the organization on a minor league deal and recently returned from injury, which makes his promotion a notable step as the team evaluates its bullpen options down the stretch. Schneemanns recall gives the Guardians another versatile bat and glove to work with, and the move creates one roster wrinkle worth keeping an eye on as Cleveland sorts out how it wants to use its expanded September group. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Spark Debate With September Choice On Intriguing Young Bat
The Guardians' September roster move brought a little bit of everything, with the club adding Daniel Schneemann and Carlos Hernandez as the expanded roster opened the door for help down the stretch. But the most interesting omission was Ralphy Velazquez, a first baseman whose minor league performance has made him one of the more intriguing young bats in the organization. His name had been in the conversation for a look, especially with rosters growing and the season entering its final month.
Instead, Cleveland is taking a cautious path with Velazquez, and the reasoning appears tied to bigger-picture concerns about how a potential MLB lockout next season could affect his development. The choice has already drawn some second-guessing, mostly because Velazquez is at a stage where every opportunity matters and the immediate upside is hard to ignore. For now, the Guardians are betting on patience, even if the decision leaves plenty of room for debate about when the next chance will come. [Read more 🡒]