Baseball is officially back, Cleveland Guardians fans!
Well, sort of.
Stephen Vogt’s team is getting ready for the upcoming campaign, and they will take the field for a matchup with the Cincinnati Reds for the Spring Training Cactus League.
Shortly before the game, the team confirmed their starting lineup for this matchup, with SP Triston McKenzie taking the mound for the Guardians.
We're so back.#GuardsSpring pic.twitter.com/dXAt5tfxgS
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) February 22, 2025
SS Brayan Rocchio will be the team’s lead-off hitter, followed by 1B Carlos Santana, 3B José Ramirez, and CF Lane Thomas.
Then, they will have C Bo Naylor, RF Jhonkensy Noel, 2B Gabriel Arias, DH Austin Hedges, and LF Angel Martínez to close out the batting order.
It’s interesting to see that Arias will get the nod to replace Andres Gimenez, at least for the time being, but that will be the biggest talking point leading into the season.
It’s not easy to replace one of the best defensive infielders in recent years, and while his departure might be a blessing in disguise in terms of hitting, there will be some big shoes to fill in the middle of the infield.
As for McKenzie, he will have another chance to prove that he deserves a spot in the rotation after some down years.
His stuff is still nasty when he’s at his best, but his never-ending command issues have plagued his career.
Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a bounce-back year for the talented hurler, as this team could certainly use another reliable arm in the rotation.
NEXT: Guardians Play Spring Opener On Saturday And Fans Can Tune In For Free
