This story was excerpted from Mandy Bell's Guardians Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
It’s time for another Guardians Inbox -- this time, delivered straight to your inbox.
April is in the rearview mirror. There’s been a mental tug of war for fans so far this season, trying to reason some of the concerning trends with a reminder that it’s too early in the year to be alarmed, but also trying to face the reality that some things may need to be addressed.
Let’s try to bring some clarity to some of these scenarios.
Is it realistic to think that Zach Plesac has made his last start for the Guardians? -- @halborski
It is realistic to think the Guardians are close to moving Plesac from the rotation to the bullpen. Will it be his last start ever for the Guardians? That’s harder to project.
Plesac entered Spring Training in a better headspace than he was in last year, hoping that the mental hurdles he failed to overcome when things didn’t go his way on the field were behind him. Maybe he has made strides with that, but the numbers haven't made the desired jump.
He’s gotten off to a slow start again, pitching to a 7.59 ERA in five outings with 14 strikeouts and five walks in 21 1/3 innings. And with young guys such as Tanner Bibee and Logan Allen giving the club every reason to keep them in the rotation, the Guardians have to eliminate at least one of the six starters currently on the roster.
This comes down to Peyton Battenfield and Plesac.
Battenfield worked out of the bullpen in Boston, which made it easier to believe he’d be the one remaining in relief and Plesac would fill the fifth spot in the rotation. But the Guardians have yet to make a decision as to who will start Friday’s game at Progressive Field against the Twins. Guardians manager Terry Francona noted that Plesac and Battenfield both threw side sessions at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. He also said that the team will announce what its plan is moving forward after Thursday’s off-day, when he gets a chance to talk through it more with his coaching staff and with the players.
Any Aaron Civale update? -- @pronkville08
There haven’t been a ton of updates on Civale since he landed on the injured list with a left oblique strain. The Guardians explained that the hope for Triston McKenzie is that he’ll be able to be activated off the IL on or around his first eligible date (May 29) to be reinstated. But the team has said Civale is behind McKenzie’s progression.
Could we possibly see Bo Naylor in the three-headed catcher rotation by the end of this summer?
The Guardians (sort of) put an end to the three-catcher experiment when they designated Meibrys Viloria for assignment and called up David Fry. Although Fry can catch and has caught in the Minors, he has yet to get behind the plate in a game this year and is more viewed as a corner infield option. In a pinch, he certainly can serve as the third catcher.
When it’s time for Naylor to get to the big leagues, he’ll be the second catcher. Mike Zunino seems like an ideal veteran to help teach and lead a young player like Naylor, who will be preparing to take the starting role in the near future. If he’s coming up to the big leagues, Naylor will not be a third catcher, fighting for sparse playing time. And yes, he’ll likely be in the mix this summer.
What are the chances the Guardians re-sign Bieber? -- @LocoOreo70
I guess we can never say never, but it’s closing in on the point of saying this ship has sailed. The Guardians have had multiple conversations with Shane Bieber over the last few years and the two parties have yet to settle on a number. He still has one year of arbitration left in 2024 before he enters free agency in ’25. The closer we get to that time frame, the harder it is to imagine that a deal can be reached.
It’s certainly not impossible, but let’s just say the odds are low.