On Tuesday, MLB.com Guardians beat reporter Tim Stebbins held an “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit with Guardians fans at r/ClevelandGuardians. This mailbag features questions and answers from the AMA, the full version of which can be read here. Questions and responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Chase DeLauter's insane weekend was not only historic, but also helped the Guardians split their series with the Mariners. Do you think he can keep up the production?
DeLauter entered Tuesday on pace for 130 home runs. I'm not sure he can keep up that production, haha, but I definitely think he'll keep producing. He has pedigree as a 2022 first-round Draft pick and has long been a top prospect. The Guardians have been high on him for years, for good reason.
Obviously, there will be a learning curve as teams adjust to DeLauter (MLB Pipeline's No. 44 overall prospect) and try to pitch to some weaknesses, at which point it'll be up to him to adjust back. He has all the talent to do so and thrive in this league -- and be the power-hitting outfielder the Guardians have long sought.
When do you actually expect a Travis Bazzana MLB debut, assuming he's healthy?
I think it'll be before the All-Star break. I don't think it'll be April, and later in May or early June might be most realistic for the earliest we could see him. There's benefit to allowing Bazzana (Pipeline's No. 18 overall prospect) to get reps with Triple-A Columbus, given the time he missed this past season. But I don't think there's a strict timeline here, especially if he's hitting well with the Clippers.
What the Guardians always consider is the balance between what a player can control (i.e. their progress and readiness to come up and contribute) and what's happening in the Majors, as far as how guys are performing and the club's needs. If Bazzana is performing, and he can help the middle infield production, it feels like it could be a straightforward decision, once we get a bit deeper into the season.
What does the starting pitching depth look like beyond the current rotation, plus Logan Allen?
It appears a bit thin in terms of immediate big league options. It's in part why the Guardians' plan at the end of spring was to stretch out Kolby Allard and Pedro Avila with Columbus. They know they're going to probably need anywhere from seven to 10 guys to make a start in the Majors this year.
Allard, of course, was selected to the roster on Monday to add a fresh arm to the bullpen, coming off a bit of a taxing opening series in Seattle. Cleveland's plan was to stretch him out to a point, to maintain his ability to pitch in the variety of spots we saw him fare well in last year.
As for other depth, Will Dion is one name to watch. He's not currently on the 40-man roster, but he threw three innings in relief in his season debut with Columbus on Saturday and could get stretched out further. Austin Peterson is another potential candidate further down the road. He missed most of spring with a right triceps strain, but finished 2025 with Columbus and is on the 40-man. Yorman Gómez is also on the 40-man, though this is his first season in Triple-A.
Ben Lively could be ready later this summer following his recovery from Tommy John surgery, but they obviously won't rush him. Consider this an evolving situation.
Is there a path to MLB at-bats in Cleveland for Juan Brito?
It's a great question. The Opening Day position player mix has a few guys who can play second base, which is perhaps Brito's best position. Bazzana is also one phone call away from the Majors.
After the Guardians optioned Brito to Columbus on March 19, manager Stephen Vogt noted one focus for him would be defensive versatility, including "the ability to play second, first, third, maybe even some right." That's one element, and another is getting him consistent at-bats. He played just 31 games in the Minors last year due to injuries.
Ultimately, I think if Brito is hitting well in Triple-A, the Guardians can find a way to get him at-bats in the big leagues due to his versatility. But their mix is crowded right now, so that may come with time as we see how their 26-man roster landscape evolves.