Guardians’ Pitcher Replaced Due to Injury in ALCS

The Cleveland Guardians have announced a roster change due to a significant injury sustained by their pitcher during the American League Championship Series (ALCS). The team confirmed on Tuesday that the season is over for one of their right-handed starters because of an acute left low back strain. The Guardians have replaced the injured starter with another right-handed pitcher, rendering the former ineligible to join the team’s World Series roster should they advance.

The pitcher, whose season was cut short, had played a crucial role during the regular season, recording 13 wins against 10 losses with a 3.81 Earned Run Average (ERA) across 29 starts. The decision required approval from Major League Baseball, as only injured players can be removed from a team’s active roster in this manner. The pitcher, 37, exited Monday’s game against their opponents after throwing only 2⅔ innings.

“It’s been a challenging year. The timing of this injury during the postseason is especially difficult,” he stated. “It’s a moment I’ve been waiting for my whole career, and not being able to contribute or to support the team yesterday was challenging.” Guardians Manager Stephen Vogt explained that the pitcher had experienced tightness in his left hip and suffered from back spasms.

“In the regular season, this type of injury would definitely require a stint on the Injury List (IL),” Vogt mentioned before the continuation of the series on Wednesday. “Given the timing, the chances of him pitching again this postseason are very, very slim.”

The Guardians are considering starting their newly added right-hander or a left-hander for Game 3 scheduled for Thursday in Cleveland. “We’re uncertain at this point,” Vogt said. “The originally scheduled starter for Game 5 now forces us to regroup, knowing there are six more games we have to manage.”

This marks the culmination of a tumultuous season for the injured pitcher, who was acquired in a trade deadline deal. He made just five outings for Cleveland this season, three during the regular season and two playoff appearances. He had initially undergone hip surgery last October and was delayed in his season debut until August 9th. Subsequent setbacks included two additional stints on the injured list due to hand injuries.

The replacement pitcher, 32, was not included in the Guardians’ earlier playoff roster and last pitched during the nearing conclusion of the regular season in September. His pitching history against the Yankees includes a past game where he relinquished a home run early on and later allowed a crucial walk that led to a run.

The Associated Press provided additional contributions to this report.