The 2024 Cleveland Guardians were a truly top team with impressive young stars and the league’s best bullpen.
Their own minor leagues, thanks to elite player development and coaching skills, produced multiple top relievers such as Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, Andrew Walters, Tim Herrin, Erik Sabrowski and many more.
They were by far the most dominant bullpen in MLB, and they did it all without the contributions of one of their most reliable relievers in the last few seasons: Trevor Stephan.
After having his 2024 marred by elbow surgery, Stephan is primed to make his return at some point in 2025.
He will probably open the campaign on the injured list, but he is expected back next year probably around mid-season.
Having undergone Tommy John surgery around the start of the 2024 campaign, he was given the normal 14-16 timeframe that is associated with the procedure.
He will almost certainly take his spot on the roster back without much hesitation, as he has been consistently good through the years for the Guardians.
Stephan threw more than 60 frames in each of his last healthy seasons and boasts a 3.73 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP, and a 27.5 percent strikeout rate over that span.
The elbow issues appeared in the early portion of the spring and didn’t subside, so he went under the knife.
Stephan has been particularly dominant in postseason play for Cleveland, with 5.2 frames of a 1.59 ERA and a ridiculously good 0.18 WHIP.
He also boasts an incredible 11 strikeouts over that sample.
If the Guardians can get him up and running for the playoffs, they will have a reliable relief ace for the most important portion of the campaign.
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