MINNEAPOLIS -- The Guardians expect Cooper Ingle will rejoin them down the road this season, when there’s a longer opportunity for him to impact their roster. For now, they want the 24-year-old to get back into a consistent rhythm of playing time down in the Minor Leagues.
The Guardians optioned Ingle to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday and recalled outfielder Petey Halpin in a corresponding move. That sequence was part of a flurry of roster moves prior to Thursday’s series finale against the Twins at Target Field.
The Guardians also placed lefty Tim Herrin on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow contusion, which forced him to exit Wednesday’s 6-5 loss to the Twins, and recalled right-hander Codi Heuer from Columbus.
“We know Coop's gonna come back and help us,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said of Ingle. “He's got his first taste, and now he knows what to expect when he comes back, and we expect him to come back and help us win games.”
Ingle logged a .967 OPS over 51 games with Columbus, which prompted his callup on June 26 as the Guardians sought a boost offensively. He’s a catcher by trade, but Cleveland called him up to play outfield and DH, given they are three-deep behind the plate in Austin Hedges, Patrick Bailey and David Fry.
Ingle ultimately went 2-for-21 with three walks and 12 strikeouts over seven big league games. He made four starts in left field, where he made an unfortunate rookie mistake on June 30. Ingle lost track of the number of outs and tossed a ball into the stands after making a catch, which allowed a run to score.
Ingle’s experience playing outfield dates to his collegiate career at Clemson (36 appearances), though he had not played there in the Minors until this season. He made seven starts in left with the Clippers before the Guardians called him up.
“We want him to get at-bats,” Vogt said. “Coop came up, helped us win a couple games. We asked him to do the impossible, and that was play outfield with very little experience in professional baseball. We want him to go back, get comfortable, get playing every day and play some outfield. He's probably going to catch a little bit still, too.”
Ingle was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game after his big league promotion. Despite his option, he will not play in the showcase.
Herrin, meanwhile, was struck on the left elbow by a Royce Lewis comebacker in the sixth inning on Wednesday. His X-rays came back negative after he exited the game, but the Guardians didn’t want to rush him back, especially with the All-Star break looming. That will cut down on how many games Herrin misses.
There’s also a level of preservation behind putting Herrin on the IL. The Guardians’ bullpen is running hot after each of their relievers, minus Franco Aleman, took the mound on Wednesday.
“Unfortunate that it happened that way for Timmy, and we don't want him to be out for that many games,” Vogt said. But we have to do what's right by Tim and the rest of the team.”
Herrin has a 3.06 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 32 1/3 innings over a team-leading 41 appearances this season. His injury leaves Erik Sabrowski as the lone left-hander in the Guardians’ bullpen.
This is the fourth time the Guardians have recalled Heuer from Columbus this season. He’s allowed five runs on 10 hits and five walks in eight innings over seven appearances (5.63 ERA). He’s logged a 3.52 ERA in 23 innings over 23 appearances with the Clippers.
Stephen undergoes UCL repair surgery
The Guardians announced right-hander Khal Stephen (ranked as Cleveland’s No. 5 prospect by MLB Pipeline) officially underwent season-ending right UCL repair surgery on Monday with Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas.
The return-to-play timeline for a UCL repair is typically 10-12 months, according to the Guardians. It differs from UCL reconstruction (Tommy John surgery), which carries an expected timeline of 12-16 months.
In any case, Stephen faces a long road back to the mound.
The Guardians acquired Stephen from the Blue Jays in exchange for Shane Bieber ahead of the Trade Deadline last season. Cleveland’s brass was bullish on the 23-year-old’s potential to impact them in the Majors this season.
Stephen recorded a 3.44 ERA in 55 innings over 12 starts with Double-A Akron. His injury is a dent to the Guardians’ pitching depth, which is thin beyond those in the big league rotation. The only starters on Cleveland’s 40-man roster are lefty Logan Allen and right-handers Yorman Gómez and Austin Peterson.