Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt announced, on Tuesday, that Daniel Espino will start Wednesday’s Game 3 of the AL Division Series against the Chicago White Sox. Left-hander Joey Cantillo is expected to be the ‘bulk’ reliever behind him, but the skipper didn’t make it official, so other options, such as Foster Griffin, Tanner Bibee, or a traditional bullpen game, are in play.
Just being on the postseason roster was an incredible achievement for Espino. A top-tier prospect in the late-2010s and early-2020s, his career has been cut short by shoulder problems that included multiple surgeries that took away years of development. However, here he is, ready to help the Guardians when they need it most: with their season on the line.
The right-hander didn’t hide his happiness about the assignment. He understands his job and what he needs to do to succeed, and he is ready for the challenge.
“I was wishing just to throw a baseball, you know. And I’m now starting a Game 3. Every step that I’ve taken in my life has been really important since leaving my home in Panama to move to the States and tomorrow,” Espino said.
"I was wishing just to throw a baseball, you know. And I'm now starting a Game 3"
(Via MLB Video) #Guardians Game 3 starter Daniel Espino, who was sidelined for a total of 1,241 days from injuries, on getting to live his dream starting in the postseason.#GuardsBall @WEWS https://t.co/0V9DWGqNUa pic.twitter.com/IMPbKtbwzH
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) October 6, 2026
Espino was the Guardians’ first-round pick in 2019, the 24th overall selection. He started his development nicely, even pitching in that minor league season and then in 2021. He also started the 2022 campaign normally. That’s when it all started going south; in 2022.
He was diagnosed with right knee tendinitis in May, and then with shoulder soreness. The latter ended his season prematurely. After failing to properly recover from the injury, he underwent his first surgery in May 2023 to repair the anterior capsule in his right shoulder.
He was rehabbing in early 2024 when he suffered a setback. That resulted in a second procedure: a shoulder anterior capsule revision repair alongside a rotator cuff repair. Just like that, his 2024 and most of his 2025 were wiped out.
He returned late in 2025 to make a minor league appearance, but most of the strides he has made post-surgery have come this year. He posted a 3.68 ERA as a reliever, a new role to preserve his health, in Triple-A, and had a 4.11 ERA in 15.1 MLB frames.
Espino’s fastball remains a triple-digit weapon, and he is getting better every day. For him, Wednesday marks a fantastic achievement, the culmination of a long period of hard work, but also the start of a long run with him pitching high-leverage games for the Guardians.
NEXT: Steven Kwan Reveals Guardians' Mindset Facing Elimination
