CLEVELAND -- When the Guardians’ dugout made the call to the bullpen on Sunday requesting Franco Aleman begin to warm up, you can imagine the feelings that could have overcome the right-hander. But Aleman had been long prepared for that moment.
“I’ve been ready for two days,” Aleman said, smiling. “I’ve been acclimating well. I was just excited to get my opportunity.”
The Guardians promoted Aleman from Triple-A Columbus on Friday, and he made his MLB debut in Sunday’s 5-4 loss to the Twins at Progressive Field. The 25-year-old tossed two scoreless innings (the seventh and eighth) and allowed two hits while recording one strikeout.
The strikeout came immediately after Aleman took the mound in the seventh inning. He set down the first batter he faced in the big leagues, Twins leadoff man Byron Buxton, with a 98.1 mph four-seam fastball.
Facing a two-time All-Star could have been a nerve-wracking way for Aleman to begin his MLB career. He was asked how he remained composed in that moment.
“I think the trick is to just not even look at him,” Aleman said. “He's just another hitter. Attack, attack and have fun.”
Sunday was a rewarding moment for Aleman and the Guardians organization. The Cuba native was Cleveland’s 10th-round Draft pick in 2021 out of the University of Florida, and his big league debut has been on the radar for several seasons.
In a stellar 2024 with Columbus, Aleman logged a 1.99 ERA in 24 appearances while being sidelined from early May to mid-August by a right oblique strain. The Guardians added him to their 40-man roster that November, but he opened the 2025 season on the IL after undergoing a left hip inguinal hernia repair in February.
While Aleman ultimately recorded a 7.85 ERA in 37 appearances with Columbus last year, he enjoyed a dominant start to 2026 with the Clippers. He struck out 18 batters with four walks in 12 innings over his first 13 appearances, allowing just one unearned run on three hits.
The earliest returns in the big leagues painted a similar picture.
Aleman got ahead of Buxton, 1-2, before the Twins’ center fielder drew the count even by taking a four-seam fastball low. Buxton fouled off the next pitch, a four-seamer over the middle of the plate, to stay alive. On the sixth pitch of the sequence, Aleman got Buxton to chase a heater up and out of the zone for strike three.
Catcher Patrick Bailey promptly flipped the baseball to the Guardians’ dugout afterward for safekeeping.
Aleman’s four-seamer averaged 97.1 mph and maxed out at 99.0 mph. After he set down Buxton, Aleman allowed a base hit to Trevor Larnach and then got Ryan Jeffers to pop out to shortstop Brayan Rocchio. Bailey then threw out Larnach on a stolen-base attempt to end the inning.
Aleman allowed a leadoff single to Josh Bell in the eighth, but erased it by getting Austin Martin to ground into a 6-4-3 double play. Aleman finished his outing by getting Luke Keaschall to fly out to center fielder Steven Kwan.
“He did not look scared,” said bench coach Tony Arnerich, who was the Guardians' acting manager on Sunday with Stephen Vogt under the weather. “He looked ready, and the smile on his face when he came out was pretty cool.
"He's worked a long time to get here. To finally see him get that chance and opportunity, and make the most of it and pitch really well, that's good for us and for him.”