Which 4 Cleveland Guardians players are out of minor league options?

3. Triston McKenzie - Starting Pitcher

If there is one player who should be feeling the pressure to perform this spring, it is Guardians starting pitcher Triston McKenzie. The 27-year-old right-hander spent a considerable amount of time in Triple-A last season due to his performance and would not return to the major league roster after being sent to Columbus.

It has been a rough two seasons on the mound for McKenzie after being one of Cleveland's best options in their rotation over his first three years. McKenzie has seen across-the-board regression, with his ERA, WHIP, and K/9 going from 3.68, 1.027, and 9.6 in his first 64 appearances (60 starts) to 5.11, 1.560, and 8.8, respectively.

McKenzie has previously proven that he has the stuff to be a meaningful contributor to Cleveland's pitching staff and could very well do so again in 2025. What it all comes down to is whether or not McKenzie will be able to put it all together while staying healthy throughout the season. Inconsistent performances and injuries have been McKenzie's biggest obstacles, and he has experienced plenty of difficulties while attempting to clear them.

If McKenzie is not able to succeed where he has struggled to do so previously, it could very well result in him being on the outside looking in, and that would say quite a lot, considering the volume of question marks in Cleveland's starting rotation.