Guardians 2026 opening day roster down to two big decisions

0:00Welcome back to the Cleveland Baseball Talk podcast. I'm Joe Nogat joined by Paul Hoynes, Poinsy, the Guardians wrap up their cactus league schedule on Sunday with a win over Cincinnati eight to two in the finale. Gavin Williams strong outing for the Guardians on the mound and now the attention really turns to the the roster situation and which guys are going to be on the 26th man opening day roster as they leave Arizona. They've got two exhibition games on Monday and Tuesday against the diamond backs before they head to Seattle. Who do we think is going to be the last last guy or the last two guys to step on the plane but when they board out of Phoenix. Yeah, Joe it is down to you know depending on how you do the math with the roster

1:02it's not the position players are probably down to C.J. Cifus and Stuart Fairchild who is a non-roster player and on the pitching side of it especially the bullpen it is down to Colby Allard who pitched yesterday and perhaps you know Colin Holderman was who has options you know but it was signed in December to a one year 1.5 million dollar deal so it looks like that's what it's down to right now of course it can change the the Guardians are looking over the waiver wire or they could make a late ad and they've also have to add Hoskins Reese Hoskins to the 40 man we haven't heard if they've done that yet but that's they're expected to do that yeah one of the ways they can do that is by moving Aaron Walters to the 60 day deal at I'm sorry the 60 day injured list prior to the start of the season that would free up a spot on the 40 man roster for Hoskins there's a lot

2:04of different things they could do they could still make a trade make a move to open up a spot that way in order to get the decisions here that they have to make in order to put if Fairchild were to win a spot they would have to create a 40 man's place for him if they want to get Allard on the roster they would have to open up another 40 man spot that way so there's a lot to think about and a lot to sort of you know a lot of moving parts and pieces at this point right now and we really won't know until prior to the the roster deadline at noon on Wednesday we probably won't hear much before that yeah I would think they'll do something before they leave Arizona that will have a really really good idea what this roster is going to look like by you know by the time they take off Tuesday Tuesday afternoon from Chase field will have a real good idea what what this roster looks like but it could extend into Wednesday like you said they're working out at in Seattle on Wednesday they've got a you know 3 p.m. workout planned we definitely should like you said they've got to they've

3:06got to have that roster the 26 man roster set by noon Wednesday so I guess that's a deadline but I think we'll know we should have a really really good indication before that but let's talk specifically about these two spots that are left on the roster over the weekend we found out that Peyton Palette the rule five pick he was informed that he's going to make the team so he's already on the 40 man he he knows that he will be in that bullpen which was a big you know sort of an exciting moment for him we found out that Parker Messick has won the fifth starter spot they've optioned Logan Allen to triple A they also you know finally made the move to option Nolan Jones and we we talked about that earlier at you know late in the week last weeks moves that had to be made that we we'd seen sort of coming in a lot of ways maybe a little bit surprised I had thought that they were maybe going to lean towards keeping Logan Allen on the roster but they went with Parker Messick just you know what do you think about the finalizing those couple of spots you know in the

4:11competitions that they've had so far you know how that is what what a great story that is especially you know with the rule five guy that you know had a sore shoulder and at the early part of camp you know that's usually the kiss of death for a rule five guys you know you end up you know not being able to pitch not being able to show your new team what you can do and they send you back to your original team in this case it would have been the white socks so a great story for Palette you know it came back you made four or five great appearances I don't think you gave up a run show when it's all spring so good for him and Messick you know if you if you line him up you know Logan Allen verse Messick Messick had the much better spring I think Logan Allen went to the WBC pitching for Panama that kind of you know you know you don't want to say it interrupted his spring but it interrupted his spring I think he he didn't get a chance to really you know be consistent obviously they know him he's fit you know he's been their guy for for a while now but you know

5:13he had options left so we'll see how that works out but I think you know it's everyone knows but you don't get by you don't get through a season with five starters I'm sure Logan will be back up here at some point and help them yeah those are you know and with Nolan Jones there was you know I guess Joey was obvious from for everybody you know the way they stuck by Jones last season you know they had an ample opportunity to do the same you know to to a to a DFA him didn't there was always that thought in the back of your mind that they were going to keep him on on a 26 man but now you know he looks he accepted the outright you know he had to do that or or forfeit is two million dollars salary and now hopefully you know he he finds what he was missing at AAA he finds that and and it helps his offense helps his get his big league career back on track and the other thing that this does is it sets up you know at least a level of depth for the Guardians with Alan and with Jones at AAA these are guys who were on the big league roster

6:15all season last year if there are injuries if there is inconsistency early on the Guardians know these guys are a phone call away and and they you know they're professionals they should be staying ready and ready to contribute if they're they're called back up so those guys are always going to be there with that that ability to come back and help but kind of exciting to see them going with the the younger guy in Messick and excited to see what he can do at this point as the the number five guy in the rotation also with Palette you're really exciting because of the the stuff that we've seen out of him in in the cactus league games like he said five outings in the cactus league six innings you know three walks three hits allowed but the 11th strikeouts in those those six innings so he's he's been just really fun to watch in terms of the the ball just exploding out of his hand not a big guy doesn't really fit the the Guardians reliever profile of six foot six and 210 pounds he's a smaller dude but he attacks and he he goes after you know he's he's had some big moments so far

7:17now it's just a matter of can they get him through the entire season sort of protecting him in in that in that bullpen maybe not pitching him in too many leveraged situations but keeping him healthy and keeping him on the roster for the entire year yeah no doubt about it he was I talked to him on the other day he was really excited he said the first person he called when they told him was his wife and the second person he called was his dad it was probably around midnight he woke his dad up and he said his dad woke the rest of the house up he was fired up yeah a lot of fun when those moments happen so you know good good news there but you know again you know it's not a not a super fun time to be a executive or you know the manager here having to have some of these difficult conversations with guys we also found out that Hunter Gattis and George Valera both likely to start the season on the injured list Gattis still coming back from a forearm tightness and a Valera a sore calf as they worked their way back neither of them have really done much since

8:21the early part of March here in camp just you know what is the future hold this season for both those guys who who really both of them were kind of expected if healthy to to be major contributors before this club yeah you know Stephen Vogue has said Gattis is making progress he's been off the mound you know it but I'm you know it he hasn't really pitched Joe since what February 27th that that was his loan of you know cactus league appearance so I would think you know he's going to have to go basically do a whole spring training you know I mean he's going to have to do a you know even when he gets healthy you know you're looking at two three two or three weeks maybe maybe more than that before you know he's ready to help the bullpen so this is kind of a you know this could be a long you know this could be a little bit of a haul here in Valera you got to feel sorry for Valera this poor guy you know every time he comes to spring training he never gets out of it healthy and you know this time like you said he had a shot of making a ball club he's probably

9:24going to be I would imagine there's starting left fielder if everything went well because he swung the bat well and in spring training and then he strains a calf and you know it's been a while since he played so you know it must be you know a pretty serious injury to keep him out of the lineup for this long and the funny thing was Stephen Vogue was taught right before the injury Stephen Vogue was talking about how much he loved the way that that Valera was running in the outfield and yeah how his lower body looked so healthy and everything was in line and you're right I think if he had stayed healthy that Valera would be the starting left fielder but the whole premise and the whole purpose of Stephen Kwan moving to center field was to be able to get to Lauder and Valera's bat in the lineup at the same time and not have to switch them off it in the outfield you know with Kwan moving over yeah really frustrating all around there that Valera is on the shelf right now but at some point maybe he comes in early in the season and picks things up but from there yeah you talked about

10:24Gattis you know maybe the more you you talk about him having to build up and needing two three weeks you know you wonder if maybe he's a candidate for the 60 day injured list they're able to backdate that by four days from the start of the season so he'd come off around late May May 21st 22nd somewhere in there if he were to go on the the 60 day injured list so all talking about you know trying to create roster flexibility on the 40 man at some point so right now the the position player battle that they're looking at is between Stewart Fairchild and CJ Kifus in in the outfield but Valera is not able to start in the left is a is a guy like Kifus a candidate to make the roster and be able to play a little left field you know I think you know vote was talking about that yesterday he said he's always played on the right side of the field you know at first base or in right field when he made his debut last year but they said they're going to test him and you know they've tested him in left field he's going to play he's scheduled to play

11:25one of these last two games in Arizona in left field so we'll see you know but I think the primary left field will probably be on hell on Martinez he'll be bouncing back and forth with Juan and Martinez in left field but yeah you know and Fairchild has the advantage there because he has can play all three outfield positions he's a natural outfielder Kifus is really a natural first basement so you know he's got an edge there but you know he's not on to 40 man like you said and he's he also has an upward mobility clause in his contract which he you know he'll have to and I think I don't know I'm not sure if he's exercised it yet but you know that gives he has to inform the guardians that you know they've got it you know send out the message to the the other 29 ball clubs that he's available and if not then the guardians have to make a decision on whether they put him in on to 48 man I mean on 40 man roster or not you know still a lot of balls

12:28in the air with Fairchild yeah if Fairchild makes the club they've got to figure out a spot on the 40 man and that would mean that that Kifus would have to get option to AAA which you know I'm sure is not ideal for him but they do have that that ability to do that because he's got option you know all three options right now so we'll we'll hang tight and we'll see but from all indications from everything the way that that Stephen vote was talking you know during yesterday's pregame it seems to me like Kifus might have the the inside track there so we'll watch and see how that develops the other spot obviously the the last spot in the bullpen of the candidates there Colin Holderman Colby Allard and I guess you know Tim here and I guess two of those three are going to make the final roster it all depends on you know how many lefties you want to keep you know what kind of roles they fit and in terms of Colby Allard you know can go multiple innings can give you you know a bunch of different looks in that way but Colin Holderman has options they

13:29signed him to a contract over the offseason and they've been pitching him as if you were a guy that that looked like he had a spot in the bullpen but now that's all in question yeah Joe I mean you know if Aaron has had a really good spring I mean he's one or no with a 2.08 ERA and nine games 12 Ks 4 walks 2 19 batting average against Holderman has also made nine appearances so they're taking a lot of looks at him nine innings 10 Ks 4 walks you know he had one bad outing I think he gave up five runs and one outing which explains his 9.00 ERA but yeah he's been right into mix Joe so this is going to be you know and then you know Colby Allard pitches scoreless inning yesterday the Guardian is really know what this guy can do he bailed a amount of so many you know hot spots last season I'm sure they'd like to keep on one way or the other if Colby Allard were put were you know released and they tried to sneak him through and get him to AAA do you think another club would would snatch him up at some point you know they had you know everybody had

14:35all of the all all off season to do that nobody did you know I don't you know in the Guardian it's time to relate to him really deals on running the camp I'm surprised no one else you know took took you know the side call because he pitched so well last year but you know so we'll just have to wait and see how this works out but you know he's he proved his value at least to me from the outside looking in he should seem like a valuable piece to that bullken last year okay well you've got final say here you're in the executive chair who are you taking between kfus and fairchild who were you taking between allard here or I'm sorry allard holderman and heron for those last two spots on the roster if you know if the 40 man isn't a consideration who were the guys that you would pick right now who to the bullpen guys again holderman holderman heron or allard who you going with you know I think Karen's on the team okay so I'm going with you know I'm I've got to go with colby allard that's I'm going with my from my heart though

15:42okay and and as far as the last position spot you know kfus or fairchild I think fairchild probably helps them more but I think it might be more difficult to add in so I'm going to go with kfus yeah so that's a great way of explaining it I is if you want the best team coming out of camp I think it's fairchild on the roster to give you that versatility but you know I think it's easier to just say kfus has a spot on the 40 man and we'll we'll keep him up here so you know is that going to hold true a month into the season maybe there might be some movement later on but that all depends and we'll see if another team comes along and and you know takes fairchild if he becomes available we'll we'll have to wait and see if there's a resolution on that but you know hoenzy hoenzy made his picks here so we're going to stick with those as far as guys who were back and going to be in Columbus the clippers built in a pretty solid bullpen of their own right now either way if if holderman or allard is able to join that group because the guardians resigned Pedro Vila who was granted his release late last week but you know didn't

16:47find a home with another club and Cody here another guy that they had reached a minor league agreement with in the offseason he was added to the 40 man roster and optioned to Columbus so he's a guy who we expect to see multiple times this season bouncing back and forth between Cleveland and Columbus at some point what do you think of the clippers strengthening their bullpen this year? You know they've got to those are two veteran guys we saw what Pedro Vila could do two years ago with the guardians really kind of really bailed them out and you know yours had a good spring he's tall lanky guy Joe he hasn't he reminds me of Daniel Espino's you know career path this guy has not pitched very little in the last four years fractured elbow he said two Tommy John surgeries about this spring he was out there throwing 98 99 a lot of teams liked him one of the reasons the guardians added him it was one of the reasons the guardians added him to the 40 man yesterday and

17:51then optioned him to Columbus is because they wanted to keep them they didn't want to just you know release them and have another team you know pick them off yeah the one thing we hear from Stephen vote from everybody around the team his stuff is electric I mean when he's when he's healthy and he's throwing well the fastball has good life he's got good movement this is a guy who I think the front office and and Stephen vote think that he can really help at some point in the bullpen this year so it's good to have that depth and and have him there hey it was a it was a good weekend to be a a first round draft pick of the guardians even though Travis Bessana you know found out that he wasn't going to be on the roster coming out of spring training he had a tremendous camp hit two home runs in the game I believe on what it was that Friday Saturday Saturday he had two home runs and jace lobby alert the number one pick from 2025 his got an impact in the game against the giants and I hit his first caccus league home run and

18:55you know just looking at him everything they're saying about this kid physically you know the size the power the speed he's got the total package and now it's just a matter of going out there and and playing his first full season of professional baseball Zana just just a great finishing kick to spring training after he got back from team australian in the world baseball classic in eight games joe he's hitting 381 with with three home runs 11 rb i's 1.292 OPS he's really kind of blossoming right in front of our eyes you know he's any you know he just looks in a good frame of mind even though he's going to triple A and you know it says both said we he had not seen Bessana a whole lot before this year he said we just you know every day you saw something new in his game a Bessana's going to triple A in a good frame of mind and I think we'll see him at some point this season joe and lobby alert he's huge nice off me to dug out it in

20:00Scottsdale when they were playing the Giants and this guy's he's a monster and he hit a home run Joe the right field I mean it had to be 430 feet I mean the ball is jumping in Arizona because it's so hot I mean that what that thing was powered and you just wonder what what what would Tito see say he gives you something to dream on right yeah exactly you start an imposing presence and just all the physical tools that you like and you just hope that he stays healthy and he continues to to progress this year and then you know we're talking about him maybe a little bit as a spring invitee next next you know February Bessana as far as you know what I liked when I heard out of vote when he said you know Travis showed us his whole game you know this this spring we got to see his whole game of the total package running the bases he improved defensively and you knew that the hit tool was going to be there and and the power showed up so I think you know the way that like you said the way he finished spring training left a good impression a good thought in

21:03in the coaching staff's mind of him and what it should do is put the fear of God in Gabriel Areas because Brian Roqueo is hitting and Gabriel Areas is making errors here and there at short stop Gabriel Areas better have a tremendous start to the season otherwise the drum beat for Travis Bessana to get called up sometime by the end of May maybe early June is going to get louder and louder I think we're going to have that conversation on this podcast many times between now and Travis Bessana's major league debut yeah could be Frankie Lindor all over again for sure so it's yeah it'll keep there's nothing like competition to keep you on your toes and that's what the Guardian has created this spring and that's what they've created you know throughout the organization at least when it comes to the middle infield with those three guys then joy should say that Bessana's first home run came off Robbie Ray for a former Sai Young winner so he's and a left and a lefty too so you know he's hit you know he's showing the ability to hit left handers

22:08to hand a left on left at bat yeah left on left he hit a grand slam and another home run so yeah he was showing the the total package was there you go that's his nickname right now total package well we'll call him that on his way up you mentioned Frankie Lindor and and how was it that 2015 season where it was all the talk all early in the season long was when is he going to get here when are they going to call him up why are they holding him down so long the same with bone nailer back in 2022 you remember he was doing everything he could possibly do a AAA and they held him down obviously for service time manipulation I think that'll be the case for Bessana as well you're going to hear the words service time manipulation repeated over and over again unless there's an injury or another circumstance that gets him up earlier than that is this offense going to be better this year is this a spring training Mirage does chase the lottery make that much of a difference over what what these these these guys have last year is everybody going to be better is Gabriel Areas the the weak spot in the lineup right now because because everybody else seems

23:12to be hitting bone nailer seems to be hitting rocio seems to be hitting there there's a lot of flexibility there in that lineup are these guys going to be better on offense this year you know my stock answer Joe they couldn't be much worse than they were last year so they've got to get better yeah I think they you know I think the difference maker to me is to lottery no matter where you put him I think he's he's only played like nine ten games but he already leads the team and hits in spring trainings if he and they've you know gone out of their way to keep him on a field to keep him healthy they're going to vote said yesterday they're going to play him primarily in right field and dh they're not going to move him around like they do with every other outfielder on a team because they want to keep him in one position position that he you know that's his best position a position he knows and that they believe that will help him stay on the field stay healthy and avoid the injuries that have sidetracked his career to date so yeah I think I think the lotter's going to make a difference bone nailer as you said is really swung the bat well

24:17well I think he's got some momentum from last year he changed his stay you know is his approach at the plate cut down on the you know the the late kick and that seems to have been really beneficial to him yeah the cautionary part is you know spring training is a mirage you know the the numbers that that you see in the desert don't necessarily always translate to the regular season same could be said for tenor bibi Gavin Williams you know last year at this time tenor bibi had an outstanding spring training his numbers aren't as good this year but you know he's your number one guy he's the guy who's going to be getting the ball on a Thursday night when they start in Seattle so yeah there's you know there's there's there's a lot that goes into sort of evaluating what happened here of the last month and a half in Arizona but votes at it I think best I think he said he said I like where we're at I like what we've got our our arms are good and the the offense looks like it's in a good spot right now the confidence is the vibes are

25:17pretty high the confidence is good in that clubhouse and no doubt about it uh you know and in voting so you know he's just built that way he's you know everything the glass is never half full with him so he's a you know an optimistic guy I think he's think this you know he really likes the pitching you can tell that I'm sure he says some questions about the offense but you know we'll have to see how that unfolds but this is this is really an interesting team um you know and you know as far as a bibi goes I was talking to him after his last star against the giants in Scottsdale he goes but we play four night games in a row then we play a new game on Saturday which he pitched it's 105 degrees out well the sun is blaring down so he says the conditions have not been ideal to pitch in this and you know that may be reflective in his numbers he said he's healthy you know he said the best thing is health and he gave me the indication that

26:20you know he might not have been healthy coming out of camp last year and that while you know he had a solid season last year he wasn't really happy with it so you know he didn't see the you know the the connection between a poor spring you know a great spring led to a you know a so-so season last year he doesn't think you know that's uh uh you know a question will spring this year is going to lead to it could lead to a better a better off a better regular season yeah and as long as he doesn't have any you know food poisoning issues between now and Thursday uh he'll actually finally get to make his opening day start for the first time after being named the opening day starter last year and and missing that opportunity I honestly I love it when you mix metaphors and you tell me that boat doesn't think that the the glass is half empty he doesn't think the glass he's the glass is half full that's the optimism it's full of the that's when you're optimistic come on man I think the uh the glass is definitely uh maybe a little more than full right now these these guys are are having a uh a good time it's a good time to uh to be in that

27:25clubhouse uh as as you get ready for the season uh we'll talk about ABS and we'll talk about uh strike zones and Stephen Kwan and all that kind of stuff uh when we pick things up tomorrow after this first of two exhibition games this afternoon in uh Phoenix who's that's going to wrap up today's edition of the Cleveland baseball talk podcast we'll check back in with you tomorrow