The Guardians announced that right-handed Alex Cobb was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a broken nail on his right hand. Left-handed Anthony Gose was selected to take his place in the squad. Lefty Sam Hentges was placed on the 60-day IL to free up a 40-man spot for Gose.
Cobb, 36, faced many challenges last year. During his final season with the Giants, he finished the season on the injured list due to left hip inflammation. He underwent hip surgery in October that would sideline him for the start of 2024, but there was hope he could be back sometime in May. The Giants seemed to believe in that timetable, as they picked up a $10 million club option for that year.
When he got going again in March, it seemed like he had a chance to beat that prognosis and return sooner than expected, but then some obstacles arose. Right shoulder inflammation delayed his return and he was placed on the 60-day IL in mid-April. Even at that point, there was still hope of a return in late May, but his throwing program was halted in mid-May due to shoulder discomfort.
He was able to return to the mound on June 30 and begin a rehab assignment, but was traded to the Guardians a month later, just before the deadline. The Giants had strengthened their rotation by Robbie Ray And Blake Snell from the IL, while encouraging results are achieved by rookies Kyle Harrison And Hayden Birdsong.
The Guardians, on the other hand, had far less stability in their rotation. Shane Bieber required Tommy John surgery in April and is finished for the year. Gavin Williams missed the first half of the season due to inflammation of the right elbow and has achieved an earned run average of 5.02 since his activation. Guys like Triston McKenzie, Logan Allen And Carlos Carrasco have also posted ERAs over 5.00 this year. Carrasco is now on the IL with a hip strain, while McKenzie and Allen have been optioned.
Bringing in a veteran like Cobb was therefore a sensible move, but he is now back on the injured list after just two appearances. The club has not yet given any information on what kind of absence they expect, but it is still far from ideal. Even if the finger issue is relatively minor and resolves itself in a few weeks, it is another hurdle that will make it difficult for Cobb to get back into the swing of things after so many stops and starts this year.
The Guardians have been in first place for much of the season, but the gap has narrowed recently. They are now just two games ahead of the Twins and just three ahead of the Royals in the Central Division. Teams like the Red Sox and Mariners aren’t far behind, so it’s possible the Guards could be involved in a tight battle for a playoff spot in the coming weeks.
For now, they must try to stay afloat with a rotation that still has many uncertainties, apart from Tanner Bibee. They have recently welcomed Matthew Boyd He’s back after a lengthy Tommy John absence and looked good in his first start of the year, but this is the fourth consecutive season he’s been sidelined with a serious injury, so there’s no telling what he’ll be able to do in the coming weeks and months. Ben Lively has a 3.68 ERA this year, but with a .255 batting average on balls in play and a stranding rate of 83.6%. His FIP of 4.90 and SIERA of 4.51 are less optimistic. As mentioned, Williams has an ERA of over 5.00 this year.
The Guardians are off today, but then play ten games in nine days starting tomorrow, thanks to a doubleheader against the Royals next Monday. With Cobb out of the game for the time being, they’ll need to dig deep to complete the rotation alongside Bibee, Boyd, Lively and Williams. Neither McKenzie nor Allen have been particularly strong in the minors this year. Joey Cantillo has a 2.97 ERA in Triple-A, but had a 6.23 ERA in his three major league starts earlier this season.
In the meantime, they have added another player to their bullpen, Gose. The left-hander was only released from the roster a week ago, but accepted a move to Triple-A Columbus. The former outfielder has strikeout potential on the mound, but also notable control issues. In 39 Triple-A innings this year, he has a 3.46 ERA and a 32.9% strikeout rate, but he has also walked 15% of the batters who have come to the plate.
He missed the 2023 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, and the Guards called him up earlier this month, but he was out of the roster a few days later when Cobb was recalled from the IL. Now that Cobb is back on the bench, Gose has his spot back on the roster. Gose is out of options, however, and could potentially be pushed out of the roster again in the coming days as Cleveland needs to work out its rotation plans.
Hentges has been on the 15-day IL since July 11 due to left shoulder inflammation. He won’t be eligible to return until 60 days after that date, which is the second week of September. He began rehab in early July but hasn’t pitched since August 7. A few days later, Zack Meisel of The Athletic on X reported that Hentges was scheduled to undergo further testing. His current status is not publicly known, but the Guardians apparently don’t expect him to return for the next few weeks.
