The Cleveland Guardians shuffled their roster on Thursday as they try to get through the final four games before the All-Star break without getting swept by the Minnesota Twins.
The biggest move came with Tim Herrin, who was placed on the 15-day injured list after a frightening scene Wednesday night. Herrin was struck directly on his throwing arm by a comeback from Royce Lewis and left the game immediately in obvious pain. The team said there is no fracture, and it is being labeled an “elbow contusion.”
Because the injury involves his throwing arm, the Guardians decided not to wait around. Codi Heuer was recalled from Triple-A to take Herrin’s place in the bullpen.
Heuer has already seen some time with Cleveland in 2026, making seven MLB appearances with a 5.63 ERA, a 1.88 WHIP, and a 27.4 percent whiff rate. He also gives the club a pitcher capable of covering multiple innings, something that could matter after Cleveland used all but one arm in Wednesday’s loss.
Cleveland also sent Cooper Ingle back to Triple-A after a brief big-league look. The Guardians’ No. 3 prospect got his first shot in the majors, but the results were rough at the plate and in the field.
He went 2-for-21 with a .095 average over his first two weeks and struck out in 50 percent of those at-bats. He did show he can drive the ball, but the contact just wasn’t consistent enough.
The defensive experiment at left field didn’t go much better. Ingle was asked to handle the position, and the 24-year-old made three errors in 32,0 innings, including one throw into the stands with only two outs that let a run score.
Petey Halpin was recalled to fill Ingle’s roster spot.
In Other News...
Guardians Suddenly Have A Trade Chance Fans Wont Ignore
A potential outfield market wrinkle has put the Guardians back in the conversation, with ESPNs Jeff Passan floating the idea that Milwaukees depth could make one of its younger regulars available. The fit makes sense on paper for Cleveland, which is always looking for controllable talent, and it would be the kind of move that reflects both a teams present needs and its long-term planning.
The catch is that Milwaukee is hardly acting like a club ready to subtract from a contender. The Brewers are sitting atop the NL Central, and any serious discussion about moving a productive outfielder under control through 2028 would have to clear a high bar, especially with the club still firmly in the middle of a World Series chase. For now, it reads more like a possibility than a plan, but it is the sort of possibility that keeps rival front offices watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Finally Target The Kind Of Bat This Lineup Lacks
The Guardians have spent plenty of time leaning on defense-first utility types, but the lineup still looks like it could use a different kind of bat, one with a little more thump and a little less overlap with the pieces already on hand. One speculative fit drawing attention is Curtis Mead, whose strong season with Washington has made him an intriguing name for a Cleveland club still sorting out how to add offense without upsetting the roster balance.
Meads appeal is obvious enough on the surface: he brings power, he hits from the right side and he offers a profile the Guardians do not have in abundance. The catch is the glove, which has been a real issue at the corners, and any pursuit would have to account for both the defensive tradeoff and the cost of prying away a player with long-term control. Cleveland already got a close look at him when he homered twice in a Nationals win at Progressive Field, and it is easy to see why he would linger in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Face A Big Travis Bazzana Fit Question
Travis Bazzanas bat has already made him one of the more intriguing young pieces in Clevelands long-term picture, but the defensive side of the equation is starting to draw just as much attention. Since his MLB debut, the Guardians second baseman has produced at a level that has kept him in the conversation as a cornerstone, even if the glove has not matched the offensive impact so far.
The latest chatter around Bazzana is less about what he is right now and more about where he might fit down the road if the defensive concerns linger. He has been below average in the field, and some around the game are wondering whether a corner-outfield move could eventually make more sense, though Cleveland has not signaled any such plan and any switch would still require Bazzana to learn a new set of defensive demands. [Read more 🡒]