The Cleveland Guardians are heading into the second half tied for first place in the AL Central, and they’ve done it while missing two of their best bats for most of the past month. That makes the latest update on Angel Martinez a welcome one.
Martinez is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment, a sign that his return is getting closer. According to Guardians Prospective, “Cleveland Guardians switch-hitting OF Angel Martinez is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus at home vs.
Indianapolis this weekend. If all goes well Martinez will then head to Double-A Akron on Tuesday when the team begins their series vs.
Altoona.”
Cleveland #Guardians switch-hitting OF Angel Martinez is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus at home vs Indianapolis this weekend.
If all goes well Martinez will then head to Double-A Akron on Tuesday when the team begins their series vs Altoona.
- Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 17, 2026
Martinez, Jose Ramirez and Chase DeLauter were all hurt in the same game on June 13 against the Seattle Mariners. DeLauter was able to come back from his rib injury in late June, and he’s already given the lineup a real lift.
Before the foot injury, Martinez was in the middle of the best season of his three-year MLB career. In 66 games, he hit .239 with a .719 OPS, both numbers that would stand as career highs over a full season. He also matched his career best with 11 home runs.
That production mattered even more because Martinez wasn’t locked into a role when spring training began. With prospects like George Valera and CJ Kayfus in the mix, he had to earn his way into the lineup. He did exactly that, making an early impression and carving out a starting job as those other options faded.
Since that cluster of injuries, Cleveland has gone 12-13, but the club still reached the All-Star break tied with the Chicago White Sox for the division lead. With DeLauter back and Martinez nearing a return, the Guardians have a better chance to protect that position.
The last major piece is Ramirez, who is recovering from hamate bone surgery. A July 31 return has been mentioned, which would line up with the opener of a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
If Cleveland can get its lineup back together and add one more bat before the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline, the path to a deeper playoff run starts to look a lot clearer.
In Other News...
Guardians Get One Huge Injury Boost As Another Setback Stings
The Guardians got a welcome dose of good news on the injury front with Jos Ramrez and Angel Martnez both moving in the right direction. Ramrez, coming back from hamate fracture surgery, is trending toward a return that could come without a minor league rehab stop, while Martnez has started his own rehab assignment as he works back from a left foot fracture. For a club trying to keep its lineup and depth chart intact, any progress involving a core bat and a useful role player matters.
Still, the day was not all encouraging. First baseman CJ Kayfus had to undergo ankle surgery after suffering a fibular fracture and ligament injury in a minor league game, a setback that hits both the player and the organizations depth planning. The Guardians are now left balancing the optimism around two recoveries with the more sobering reality of another long road back, and the next question is how quickly the roster can absorb both kinds of news at once. [Read more 🡒]
Four Former Guardians Could Suddenly Put Cleveland Back In Deadline Talk
A month out from the Aug. 3 trade deadline, four familiar names could wind up back in the rumor mill for reasons that matter to Cleveland. Josh Bell, Tyler Freeman, Sam Hentges and Lane Thomas all have different paths, different contract situations and different kinds of appeal, which is exactly why they have surfaced as possible pieces in other clubs deadline calculations. For a Guardians team that knows how quickly the market can shift, the intrigue is less about nostalgia than about whether any of these former players become useful leverage for someone else.
Bells one-year deal and Freemans years of control give them very different kinds of value, while Hentges has rebuilt enough stock after arm injuries to draw attention again. Thomas is the wild card, especially with Kansas City sliding hard and every roster decision getting harder to justify as the deadline nears. None of it guarantees movement, but it does leave Cleveland watching a corner of the market where old friends could suddenly become relevant again. [Read more 🡒]
Cade Smith Opens Up About His Proudest Guardians All-Star Moment
Cade Smiths first All-Star experience gave the Guardians right-hander a little bit of everything, from the rush of the weekend to the chance to pitch on one of baseballs biggest stages. He handled his inning well in the 2024 MLB All-Star Game, working a scoreless frame with two strikeouts, but what stood out most for him was the chance to be around the game in a different way than he usually is during the season.
Smith said the best part was getting to talk with players from other teams in a normal, non-competitive setting, a rare break from the usual grind. He also appreciated sharing the moment with teammates and taking pride in representing both Cleveland and the American League, a reminder that even in an event built around stars, the experience can mean as much off the field as it does on it. [Read more 🡒]