Injuries & Moves: Morgan to begin rehab assignment
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May 1: RHP Eli Morgan (right shoulder inflammation) set for rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus
After throwing a successful bullpen on Tuesday in front of the Guardians' coaching and training staff, the team determined he will be sent on a rehab assignment with Columbus over the weekend. So far in 2024, Morgan has a 2.16 ERA with four walks and seven strikeouts in nine appearances (8 1/3 innings).
April 30: Sam Hentges (left middle finger swelling) tosses another scoreless frame for Triple-A Columbus
Hentges threw 11 pitches in a hitless inning for Columbus on Sunday, while racking up two strikeouts. He has yet to permit a run in his 3 2/3 frames over four rehab appearances. He's scheduled to make one more appearance on Wednesday, and then will be reassessed by the Major League training staff to determine what's next.
April 25: RHP James Karinchak (right shoulder fatigue) to travel with big league club
After spending the first month of the season in Arizona to continue his rehab, Karinchak joined the Guardians on Thursday and is expected to travel with the team to Atlanta and Houston to work with the big league training staff as he nears a rehab assignment.
10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
RHP Eli Morgan (right shoulder inflammation)
Expected return: Early May
Morgan was placed on the 15-day IL on April 17 due to right shoulder inflammation. He pitched in nine games, posting a 2.16 ERA over 8 1/3 innings. Manager Stephen Vogt said that with the workload Morgan has had, he didn’t feel like himself. He threw a bullpen on April 30 and was cleared to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus over the May 4 weekend. (Last updated: May 1)
LHP Sam Hentges (left middle finger swelling)
Expected return: Late April or early May
Hentges was shut down for a few days in the middle of March to deal with swelling in his left middle finger. Before camp ended, he said he had resumed throwing, but there wasn't enough time left for him to be ready to go before Opening Day.
He began his rehab assignment on April 19 and has thrown 3 2/3 scoreless innings with one walk and four strikeouts over four appearances. He was scheduled to make another appearance with Columbus on April 30, and then will be reassessed by the Major League training staff to determine what's next. (Last updated: April 30)
RHP Gavin Williams (right elbow discomfort)
Expected return: Early May
Williams made his three-inning start in Arizona to begin his rehab process, but he felt the same discomfort in his elbow after the outing that he did in Spring Training. He flew to Cleveland to meet with the medical staff and received external opinions. It was determined that receiving an anti-inflammatory injection on April 24 would be the best path forward. He'll be shut down for seven days with the hope that he will immediately be able to resume his throwing program without being set back too much.
This began in the middle of Spring Training when Williams made an awkward throw during his weighted-ball workout and felt discomfort in his throwing elbow. (Last updated: April 24)
60-DAY IL
RHP James Karinchak (right shoulder fatigue)
Expected return: At least the end of May
Karinchak reported to camp with right shoulder fatigue. He was given the green light to begin a throwing program on March 11 and joined the big league team on April 25 to work with the Guardians' training staff. Assuming all goes well, his rehab assignment will be in the near future. Because he opened the year on the 60-day IL, he'll need to wait until at least the end of May before he can return to game action. (Last updated: April 25)
INF Angel Martínez (fractured hamate)
Expected return: Late May or June
Martinez was transferred to the 60-day IL on April 17 with a fractured hamate. On April 17, he submitted a surgical intervention with Dr. Thomas Graham at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Bethlehem, Pa. (Last updated: April 17)
RHP Shane Bieber (right elbow injury)
Expected return: 2025
Bieber was transferred to the 60-day IL on April 10, and there's no return in sight for Cleveland's ace. He wasn't bouncing back as well as he is used to after his Opening Day start and elbow pain persisted throughout his outing in Seattle.
Bieber underwent imaging that revealed the same problems with his UCL that he had last year. He underwent UCL surgery on April 12. He'll report to Goodyear, Ariz., to begin his rehab. (Last updated: April 13)
RHP Trevor Stephan (UCL surgery)
Expected return: 2025
When Stephan's elbow was examined for discomfort on Feb. 28, a deep bone bruise was discovered. But after it continued to nag him, other opinions were needed. It was determined that his UCL is not providing adequate stability, which caused even more pain in the elbow. He underwent surgery on March 27 and was given a 12 to 16 month timetable for recovery. (Last updated: March 28)