Guardians send key offseason addition to Triple-A in first stunner of 2026

Over the offseason, the Guardians signed reliever Colin Holderman to a one-year, $1.5 million contract in the hopes that he’d be a solid middle reliever in their big league bullpen. 

It took all of one series for that plan to blow up in the Guardians’ face. 

On Monday the Guardians sent Holderman down to Triple-A to make room for new pitcher Kolby Allard, who was added to the 40-man roster and had his contract selected from Triple-A. Left-hander Doug Nikhazy was designated for assignment to make room for Allard on the roster. 

Guardians surprisingly send Colin Holderman down to Triple-A

While Allard’s promotion makes sense considering the Guardians are in the midst of a stretch where they’re playing 13 games in 14 days (not to mention that Tanner Bibee is still on the mend). 

Holderman’s appeared in two games for the Guardians this season and has allowed two earned runs in three innings. He went two innings against the Mariners on Sunday, which likely played into why the Guardians decided to send him down to Triple-A. 

He still has two minor league options left, so he’s also one of the few pitchers in Cleveland’s bullpen with some kind of flexibility. 

Holderman struggled last season to the tune of a 7.01 ERA in 24 games with the Pirates, but he was never fully healthy thanks to a knee sprain and thumb inflammation.  He posted a 3.16 ERA in 2024 with Pittsburgh, which still stands as the best season of his career. 

Allard put together a career year last year when he posted a 2.63 ERA in 65 innings while pitching in a variety of roles for the Guardians. 

Cleveland outrighted him off their roster at the end of the season but ended up reuniting with him on a minor league contract during the offseason. He pitched well in spring (4.05 ERA in 13 1/3 innings) but still didn’t make the Guardians’ roster out of camp. 

He stayed in Cleveland’s system as a depth arm and now is acrucial part of their short-term pitching plan.

He seems like a logical option to eat some innings later tonight if Bibee is hampered tonight and isn't able to give the Guardians a ton of length.

Nikhazy’s DFA was a bit surprising considering he’s a one-time top prospect who never got a true chance with the Guardians’ big league club, but sometimes baseball can be a cruel sport. 

He has a 4.13 ERA in 414 career minor league innings and made his big league debut last season, so he’s as close to big league-ready as you can find on waivers.

It would be surprising if someone didn’t pick him up and immediately put them in their bullpen or rotation.