When it rains, it pours for the Cleveland Guardians.
They may have lost more than just a game against the Los Angeles Angels, as they will also have to get by without a hard-hitting, promising arm from their bullpen.
In the ninth inning of the 4-1 loss, reliever Andrew Walters threw a pitch and started grabbing his shoulder in evident pain, and he was forced to leave shortly after.
It was only his second appearance in the Majors this season, and he will now have to wait for a while before getting back on the mound.
As reported by Guardians Prospective on X, things aren’t looking good for him right now:
“Antonetti today said Walters has a ‘significant tear’ in the right lat muscle. He will be out for ‘a while.’ The team is determining whether he needs surgery or not,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.
Antonetti today said Walters has a "significant tear" in the right lat muscle. He will be out for "a while." The team is determining whether he needs surgery or not. https://t.co/cIXl3QDOAy
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) June 1, 2025
The Guardians placed Walters on the 15-day Injured List with a strained right lat, but he could be looking at a longer absence.
He had just been activated from the Injured List less than a week ago.
In two appearances for Stephen Vogt’s team, he had registered an ERA of 13.50 with two strikeouts in 1.1 innings.
He’s a flame-throwing reliever whose fastball can touch the upper 90s with ease, and he made a name for himself for his ability to get strikeouts in the minors.
He had already dealt with some shoulder problems and even had to miss some time during spring training, so this will be a situation to follow closely and a major concern going forward.
The Guardians’ bullpen has had to endure some heavy usage this season because of the rotation’s struggles, and this could be a big blow.
For now, the Guardians will rely on Nic Enright, who was recently recalled from Triple-A Columbus in a corresponding move.
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