Guardians Released A Pitcher They’re Hoping To Keep

It is not often that a team grants a player his release while simultaneously expressing hope that he will come back, but that is exactly the situation the Cleveland Guardians find themselves in with left-hander Kolby Allard.

According to MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins, Cleveland granted Allard his release on Sunday after an opt-out clause in his contract triggered, but the organization made clear they are not necessarily done with him.

“The Guardians are granting Kolby Allard his release. He had an opt-out clause today, but they’re hopeful they may re-sign him,” Stebbins wrote.

The Guardians are granting Kolby Allard his release. He had an opt-out clause today, but they're hopeful they may re-sign him.

— Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) May 17, 2026

It’s been a complicated few months for Allard and the Guardians. Cleveland designated him for assignment on April 13th, sent him outright to Columbus on April 16th, and then signed him to a new minor league contract the very next day on April 17th. He was activated from the Columbus 7-day injured list on May 8th after a brief stint on the shelf, and now the opt-out clause has brought things to another crossroads.

The 2026 numbers at the big league level were not what either side had hoped for. In four appearances covering 8.2 innings, Allard posted a 10.38 ERA with a 2.192 WHIP, which made it difficult for him to hold a roster spot when Cleveland needed better options.

Allard has a 5.47 ERA across 345.2 career innings and 113 big league appearances since his debut with Atlanta in 2018, but his two seasons in Cleveland tell a different story. Across 37 appearances and 73.2 innings with the Guardians over two years, he owns a 3.54 ERA, a 1.317 WHIP and a 0.9 WAR, numbers that reflect a pitcher who has genuinely found a home with this organization when healthy and on his game.

The hope from Cleveland’s side is clearly that Allard will look at his options, weigh the opportunity to stay in an organization where he has had his best results, and choose to come back on a new deal. Whether that happens remains to be seen. He is a free agent now and can listen to whatever interest comes his way from around the league.

If the Guardians can get him back, they likely will. If not, this is a quiet but notable departure for a pitcher who had a real chance to contribute to this bullpen down the stretch of a season where Cleveland is very much in the middle of a division race.