Nick Howard Sandlin...Graduated from Greenbrier High School in Evans, Ga...As a junior, was named Augusta, Ga., Chronicle Player of the Year...Attended the University of Southern Mississippi, playing three seasons for the Golden Eagles, going 23-5 with a 1.70 ERA (38 ER/200.2 IP), 67 walks, 268 strikeouts, 0.97 WHIP, and 12.0 K/9 in 70 appearances (15 starts)...During his collegiate career, was named a Freshman All-American by Louisville Slugger, Conference USA All-Freshman, Perfect Game/Rawlings first-team, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Associated second team, ABCA/Rawlings all-south region second-team and All-Conference USA first-team...Earned multiple preseason All-American selections...Following his junior year, was given the C Spire Ferriss Trophy, given to the best collegiate baseball player in Mississippi... Also named Conference USA’s Baseball Pitcher of the Year and National Pitcher of the Year from Perfect Game/Rawlings...His favourite player growing up was Ichiro Suzuki, his favourite movie is Remember the Titans and his favourite thing away from baseball is golf...Originally signed by Indians scout Chuck Bartlett.
2025
Pitched in 19 total games with Blue Jays, going 0-2 with one save, a 2.20 ERA (16.1 IP - 4 ER) and 16 strikeouts across 19 appearances...Converted first save of year (and second of career) on April 9 at Boston...Posted a 0.90 ERA (10.0 IP - 1 ER) with 12 strikeouts in 11 games at Rogers Centre, compared with a 4.26 ERA (6.1 IP - 3 ER) and four strikeouts in eight road appearances...Held left-handers to a .115 (3-for-26) average with a 29% strikeout rate...Against his splitter, opponents batted .111 (2-for-18)...Also held opponents to a .182 (4-for-22) average vs. his slider...Was on injured list from April 20-June 20 with a right lat strain...Returned to IL on July 8 with right elbow inflammation and missed remainder of season.
2024
Made a career-high 68 appearances out of the bullpen, posting a 3.75 ERA (24 ER/57.2 IP) with a 1.27 WHIP, .222 opponent AVG, 11% walk rate, 27.6% strikeout rate, 33.7% whiff rate, and a 28.4% chase rate...Posted career highs in wins (eight), appearances, and strikeouts (68)...Against his splitter, opponents hit .100 with a .121 xBA, .200 SLG, .151 wOBA, .170 xwOBA, 48.3% whiff rate and a 41% chase rate...Against left-handed hitters, allowed a .217 AVG, 1.05 WHIP, and a .676 OPS while posting a 28.2% strikeout rate, 32/9% whiff rate, and a 33.6% chase rate...Placed on the injured list from June 19-July 4 due to lower black inflammation...Made one rehab appearance at Triple-A Columbus...Recorded his first career MLB save on April 27 at ATL, retiring all three batters he faced in a scoreless inning of work with a strikeout.
2023
Finished his third campaign out of the Cleveland bullpen with a 3.75 ERA (25ER/60.0IP) in 61 appearances…Set career highs in appearances (61), innings pitched (60.0IP) and strikeouts (66)...Held opposing batters to a .182 batting average (38-for-209) in 2023, the lowest mark among Cleveland relievers (min. 45.0IP) and eighth in the American League…Marks the third-lowest opposing average by any Cleveland reliever since 2021, trailing James Karinchak in 2021 (.176) and Emmanuel Clase (.167) in 2022...Opposing left-handed batters finished the year with a .145 clip (9-for-62) against him while righties hit .197 (29-for-147)... Led all MLB relievers with a 10.5% inherited runners scored rate, allowing just four of 38 inherited runners to score…The Guardians bullpen had the second-lowest inherited runners scored rate in MLB (24.5%, 48-for-196), trailing only Toronto (22.8%, 54-for-237)...Since 2000, Sandlin has the third-lowest single-season rate of Cleveland relievers, behind Oliver Perez in 2018 (9.3%) and Rafael Betancourt in 2007 (9.1%)...Did not allow an earned run in the month of May, working 8.2 innings in eight appearances and surrendering one hit…In 17 appearances during May and June, he recorded a 3-2 record while boasting a 1.50 ERA (3ER/18.0IP)...He excelled against the AL Central, posting a 1.16 ERA (3ER/23.1IP) against divisional opponents...Opposing hitters hit .154 (16-for-104) against his slider this season, sixth-lowest in MLB (min 100PA), while his 25.0% hard hit against the pitch was 11th-lowest in MLB…His four-seam fastball held batters to a .178 mark (8-for-45).
2022
Spent most of the season in Cleveland and posted career bests in wins (five), appearances (46), innings (44) and ERA (2.25)…Was with the ML club virtually the whole season, save a two-week stint in Triple-A Columbus, June 20-July 4...Prior to his option he owned a 2.89 ERA in 19 outings (6ER/18.2IP) with a BB/9 rate of 8.7 (18BB) and K/9 of 6.3…Following his recall he posted a 1.78 ERA in 27 games (25.1IP, 15H, 5ER, 6BB, 28SO, 2.1BB/9, 9.9 SO/9)…Enjoyed a scoreless inning streak of 16.0 straight innings, July 9-Sept. 3…Batters were 14-for-79 (.177) w/men on base, 9-for-56 (.161) w/RISP…AAA #s: 8.31 ERA in 5 games before being recalled…Posted a 1.33 ERA in 22 2nd half games (20.1, 12, 3ER)…Injured in the 10th inning of Game 2 of the ALWC vs. TB in his postseason debut, suffering same injury that ended his 2021 season (teres major muscle strain) and was removed from the ALDS roster vs. NYY…10 of 30 inherited runners scored on the year.
2021
Began the year at the Alternate Training Site in Columbus, was promoted to the Majors on April 30 and was a productive member of the bullpen before suffering a season-ending injury on Aug. 11 vs. Oakland...Made his Major League debut on May 1 at Chicago-AL (scoreless 1.0IP), recorded his first hold on May 6 at KC and posted first win on June 14 vs. Baltimore...26 of his 34 outings were scoreless, including 13 out of 14 over a stretch from May 31-July 7 (13.2IP, 7H, 1R/ ER, 9BB, 23SO)...Recorded five holds, recorded more than four outs over seven outings and worked a season-high 2.0IP on two occasions...ERA after May 30 was 2.66 over final 26 outings (23.2IP, 17H, 11ER). ..Season ended over a three batter outing (HB, HR) on Aug. 11 vs. Oakland, suffering a right shoulder strain on his tenth and final pitch...Began a throwing program in Goodyear, AZ in mid-September...Limited hitters to a .176 (21-for-119) average against, lefties hit .146 (6-for-41) and RHH batted .192 (15-for-78)...Yielded on two homers in 33.2IP, walked 4.5 batters per 9.0IP and fanned 12.8 per 9.0IP.
2020
Spent 2020 campaign at the Alternate Training Site in Lake County.
2019
Limited to 24 appearances in 2019 due to a right elbow/forearm injury that required season-ending surgery on Aug. 21...Last appearance came on June 29 (as also on the IL at Akron, Apr. 4-18) and underwent right forearm ulnar stress fracture repair on Aug. 21 (Dr. Thomas Graham)...Started the year in AA Akron and was promoted to Columbus on June 4...Combined on the year right-handed batters hit .157 (8-for-51) and hitters batted .179 (7-for-51) with runners on base... Did not allow an earned run from Apr. 29-May 28 (12.2IP).
2018
Spent first pro season between four stops along Cleveland's Player Development system, beginning in the AZ Rookie League...Combined on year posted a 3.00 ERA (8ER/24.0 IP) and did not allow a homer in 24.0 IP (only 3 walks against 36 SO)...Also made 3 appearances in the Eastern League playoffs barely three months removed from being drafted.
