The Cleveland Guardians have a lot of faith in right-hander Franco Aleman.
They believe that he can be their next great reliever and have a similar impact that Cade Smith had in 2024.
That’s why they gave him a spot on the 40-man roster at the beginning of the offseason: they didn’t want to lose him in the Rule 5 Draft.
Unfortunately, injuries happen and usually throw a wrench into one’s plans from time to time.
Aleman, as talented as he is, might not be available to pitch for a while.
In fact, there is a chance he needs surgery.
“Cleveland #Guardians RHP relief prospect Franco Aleman is likely dealing with an inguinal hernia. He had another appointment today to further evaluate the injury. He may need to undergo surgery,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.
Cleveland #Guardians RHP relief prospect Franco Aleman is likely dealing with an inguinal hernia. He had another appointment today to further evaluate the injury. He may need to undergo surgery.
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) February 26, 2025
There isn’t much more information at this time.
We will all have to wait until the team confirms the report and offers a firm timeline, which will obviously depend on whether he needs to go under the knife or not.
Aleman was shaping up as a member of the Opening Day bullpen and offers a solid floor and tantalizing upside.
He is a big guy (6’6”, 235) who generates incredible fastball velocity and has swing-and-miss stuff.
He threw 22.2 frames in Triple-A last season and returned a 1.99 ERA with 34 strikeouts to his name.
With his strikeout rate firmly over 30 percent and flirting with 40 percent when he is at his best, the Guardians knew he was going to contribute at some point this year.
Now, we will have to wait to see if that’s still the case.
NEXT: Guardians Top Prospect Hits Jaw-Dropping Home Run
