3 Cleveland Guardians that are no longer worth defending

It's been a so-so start for the Cleveland Guardians this season, with their 9-9 start being evidence of a team that has not yet hit their collective stride. There have been a few players pulling their weight which has allowed the Guardians to at least be at .500 on the year, but there are some others who have struggled out of the gate.

While there are some that are expected to rebound and be key members of the Guardians this season, there are a few others that it has become impossible to defend any longer. This is a list that features the latter group, those that are no longer worth defending.

Triston McKenzie - Relief Pitcher

The only real positive contribution Triston McKenzie has made for the Cleveland Guardians in 2025 is that he has been deployed in lopsided affairs allowing the team to save their more useful relief arms for games where the outcome could differ. That's really about it.

McKenzie has allowed seven runs on seven hits and seven walks in 5.2 innings this season while only striking out four. The attempt to convert McKenzie into a bullpen arm has gone extremely poorly, and it is easy to wonder how much longer he will last in Cleveland. It seems like the only path toward remaining on the roster for an extended period would see continued use in mop-up duty, but even then, eventually, that type of usage will also come to an end.