Guardians' bullpen takes a hit as postseason push enters stretch run

CLEVELAND -- Colin Holderman has been a vital member of the Guardians’ bullpen this season, as a reliable high-leverage arm in front of closer Cade Smith. As Cleveland continues its push for the postseason, it will do so without the steady right-hander for the foreseeable future.

The Guardians placed Holderman on the 15-day injured list on Friday with right wrist inflammation, as part of a flurry of roster moves prior to a doubleheader against the Tigers at Progressive Field. Cleveland also activated Slade Cecconi off the 15-day IL and recalled right-handed prospect Austin Peterson from Triple-A Columbus.

Right-hander Carlos Hernández was designated for assignment to make room on the active roster. He made two appearances after joining the Guardians’ active roster when it expanded from 26 to 28 players on Tuesday. The club has seven days to trade or release him.

Here’s a rundown on the other moves:

Holderman’s wrist issue persists

Holderman (who has a 2.73 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 52 2/3 innings over 54 appearances) dealt with a right wrist issue in recent seasons, which included a six-week IL stint in 2025 while he was with the Pirates. He has described that issue as De Quervain syndrome, or chronic inflammation that ran from his thumb up through his wrist and affected his performance.

Holderman’s wrist began to bother him in recent weeks; he was forced to exit his Aug. 15 appearance against the Padres due to right wrist inflammation. The issue persisted enough that Holderman now needs time to get it under control.

The Guardians relievers entered Friday ranked eighth in MLB with a 3.75 ERA. Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowski and Tim Herrin are among those who will loom even larger in high-leverage spots with Holderman sidelined.

Cecconi returns

Cecconi is an interesting wild card for the Guardians’ bullpen, given that he can pitch in short or long bursts.

Cleveland moved Cecconi to the bullpen after it acquired starter Foster Griffin before the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline. But Cecconi made just two relief appearances before he went on the 15-day IL with right arm fatigue, which the Guardians acknowledged likely was brought on by his sudden role change.

Cecconi threw 73 pitches in 2 2/3-plus innings over two relief outings (Aug. 4 and 6) before he went on the IL. His time on the shelf allowed him to get his arm healthy and to adjust to the physical demands of his relief role.

“I've had a little bit more experience with the bullpen routine,” said Cecconi, who also made 10 relief appearances with the D-backs in 2023 and ‘24. “Not just getting my arm ready, but getting my arm ready to throw after a day or two of rest. I had gone two straight years of being on a five-, six-, or seven-day program, and my arm got really used to that.

“Now I've had a little bit of time to kind of condition it to throw less pitches at a higher intensity more frequently. I'm hoping that it responds well to the training that we've done for that.”

Cecconi made two relief appearances on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus last week, working up to 2 2/3 innings and 45 pitches on Sunday. The Guardians wanted to keep him stretched out as a length option in the Majors.

But he’s an option to pitch in any role, depending on the team’s need on a given day.

Peterson’s first opportunity

Peterson was about to head out to the field at Huntington Park on Thursday for the national anthem when he was instead told to pack his bags. He was going to the big leagues.

Peterson adds another length option to the Guardians’ bullpen. The 26-year-old logged a 4.53 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP in 95 1/3 innings over 21 games (19 starts) with the Clippers this season. He features a six-pitch mix: four-seam fastball, sinker, cutter, slider, curveball and changeup.

Cleveland added Peterson to its 40-man roster in November, but his 2026 debut was delayed until April 28 after he suffered a moderate-grade right triceps strain in his first Cactus League outing on Feb. 24.

Peterson noted that his injury was a short setback, and it hasn’t been a problem since. He’s ready to help the Guardians in their playoff push.

“When I got here, I told [manager Stephen Vogt], ‘I’m excited to join a more exciting race than the International League,’” Peterson said with a chuckle. “This is a great place to be for September, October baseball.

“The Guards, I feel like, belong in October. Just to have a little part of that, do whatever I can is exciting.”