The Cleveland Guardians will play a doubleheader on Saturday against the Boston Red Sox.
That forced them to alter their initial pitching plans for the weekend.
When they called up Doug Nikhazy, the plan was for him to join the bullpen and help cover some innings in a tough stretch of games.
After Friday’s game was postponed due to inclement weather, however, they are now forced to use Nikhazy as a starter for one of the two Saturday games.
Baseball researcher Thomas Nestico offered a scouting report of one of the most promising pitchers in the Guardians’ system.
“Doug Nikhazy gets the call! Nikhazy is a soft-tossing lefty who wields a deep pitch mix. His results have been strong in AAA this season with a 3.44 ERA across 18.1 IP. Congratulations!” Nestico wrote on X.
Doug Nikhazy gets the call!
Nikhazy is a soft tossing lefty that wields a deep pitch mix. His results have been strong in AAA this season with a 3.44 ERA across 18.1 IP
Congratulations! https://t.co/wnAupafpb5 pic.twitter.com/ZUU7qPEKAq
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) April 25, 2025
Indeed, Nikhazy’s fastball is not the most explosive, but he makes up for it with phenomenal extension, right on par with the organization’s philosophy.
The fastball might average 90.9 mph, but it plays up due to Nikhazy’s extension.
Stuff+ says he has two above-average offerings in his slider and sweeper.
The southpaw took a step forward with his command and control in the 2024 season.
Before 2024, his walk rate hovered around 15 percent or higher.
Last year, he managed to take that down to the 9-11 percent range at every level he has been.
Nikhazy has the tools to be a solid backend starter for the Guardians if given the chance.
Saturday will mark his first big challenge: beat the nerves and give his team a solid start.
NEXT: Guardians Activate Promising Pitcher Off Triple-A Injured List
