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Guardians DFA Struggling Pitcher During Recent Roster Moves
Apr 5, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA;Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Triston McKenzie (24) delivers to the plate in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Guardians DFA Struggling Pitcher During Recent Roster Moves

Originally posted on Cleveland Guardians on SI
By Tommy Wild  |  Last updated Apr 21, 2025 2:20 PM ET

On Monday, the Cleveland Guardians made some roster moves regarding their bullpen ahead of their series opener against the New York Yankees.

While the moves aren't necessarily surprising, one of them in particular is a disappointing development to a once-promising player.

Triston Mckenze - Designated For Assignment

Triston McKenzie looked like the future ace of Cleveland's staff during the 2022 season. Now, the organization announced that they had designated him for assignment.

McKenzie has pitched in four games out of the bullpen in 2025 and has an 11.12 ERA and a 2.47 WHIP.

Unfortunately, after an elite 2022 season and an injury-filled 2023 campaign, McKenzie lost his command and never found a way to regain control of the strike zone.

It will be interesting to see if another team takes a chance on the one-time promising starter or if he'll clear waivers.

Zak Kent Promoted From Triple-A

The pitcher taking McKenzie's spot in the rotation is Cleveland's RHP prospect Zak Kent.

Kent, 27, has posted solid numbers in the minors for the last few seasons and is deserving of a shot at the big league level.

He's pitched in five games this Triple-A season and has a 2.35 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and a .125 opponent batting average over 7.2 innings pitched.

It remains to be seen what Kent's role is out of the bullpen. He used to pitch in high-leverage situations with the Columbus Clippers, but the Guardians could use another middle reliever to help bridge the starters to the elite set-up pitchers.

Read More Cleveland Guardians Coverage


This article first appeared on Cleveland Guardians on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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