The Cleveland Guardians have managed to stay atop the AL Central this season despite facing a barrage of injuries, particularly to their pitching staff. While the team has recently welcomed back several starters from the injured list, the status of reliever Sam Hentges remains a significant concern.
Hentges was placed on the 15-day injured list on July 12 due to left shoulder fatigue and inflammation. Unfortunately, his recovery has hit a snag. After being unable to make a scheduled rehab appearance on August 4, Hentges was officially pulled from his rehab assignment this past Wednesday, according to MLB.com’s team report. The 27-year-old has since traveled to Dallas to seek a second opinion on his ailing shoulder, casting doubt on his return timeline.
The lefty reliever had already dealt with finger inflammation earlier in the season, delaying his 2024 debut until May 6. Despite these setbacks, Hentges performed well in the 25 appearances he made for Cleveland, posting a 3.04 ERA, 0.972 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts in 23.2 innings. His success this season followed a strong 2022 campaign, where he logged a 2.32 ERA, 0.968 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts over 62 innings.
However, the Guardians are now uncertain when Hentges will be healthy enough to return to the bullpen. Manager Stephen Vogt mentioned that more details about the injury should emerge within the next week, but there is currently no clear timeline for Hentges’ comeback.
The Guardians’ pitching staff has been ravaged by injuries throughout the season. Ace Shane Bieber was sidelined early on with Tommy John surgery, while starters Tanner Bibee, Alex Cobb, and Matthew Boyd all missed time before recently rejoining the rotation. Just as these pitchers returned, the Guardians lost Carlos Carrasco to the 15-day injured list due to a hip strain.
These injuries have contributed to Cleveland’s struggles since the All-Star break, with the team going 12-14 during that stretch. Despite the challenges, the Guardians still boast the best record in baseball, sitting 23 games over .500 and maintaining a 4.5-game lead over the Minnesota Twins in the competitive AL Central.
Much of the team’s success can be attributed to its stellar bullpen, led by three-time All-Star and AL Reliever of the Year frontrunner Emmanuel Clase. The Guardians’ relief corps leads the majors in numerous categories, including ERA, saves, holds, HR/9, batting average against, WHIP, FIP, WPA, and fWAR. The team is hopeful that Hentges can return in time for the postseason to bolster an already dominant bullpen as they look to make a deep run in October.
