The Cleveland Guardians will open the 2025 campaign on Thursday against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
Tanner Bibee will toe the rubber for Cleveland, facing formidable lefty Cole Ragans.
Most teams are still finalizing their rosters for that day, and the Guardians are no exception.
They still haven’t made any announcements, but team insider Zack Meisel is reporting that the roster is essentially set except for one particular spot: an extra position player.
“The Guardians informed OF Will Brennan and RP Andrew Walters that they’re being sent to AAA. That leaves the Opening Day roster finalized aside from the last position player spot, which Chris Antonetti said will likely be an internal addition,” he wrote on X.
The Guardians informed OF Will Brennan and RP Andrew Walters that they're being sent to AAA.
That leaves the Opening Day roster finalized aside from the last position player spot, which Chris Antonetti said will likely be an internal addition. pic.twitter.com/kO5HQKXAhm
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) March 24, 2025
In the picture, you can see a very accurate picture of what the 26-man roster will look like.
The rotation will have Bibee, Gavin Williams, Luis L. Ortiz, Ben Lively, and Logan Allen, while the relievers will be long men Joey Cantillo and Triston McKenzie, and more traditional, one-inning guys such as Emmanuel Clase, Hunter Gaddis, Cade Smith, Tim Herrin, Paul Sewald, and Jakob Junis (who could also start depending on the team’s needs.)
With Gabriel Arias likely manning second base and Daniel Schneemann fulfilling a super-utility role (or vice versa,) there is space for one additional position player besides the ones already projected to make the roster: catchers Bo Naylor and Austin Hedges, infielders Carlos Santana, Kyle Manzardo, Brayan Rocchio, and Jose Ramirez; and outfielders Steven Kwan, Lane Thomas, Jhonkensy Noel, and Nolan Jones.
Among the internal candidates to get that 26th roster spot are infielders Juan Brito and Will Wilson, utilityman Angel Martinez, and outfielder Johnathan Rodriguez.
In any case, that remaining roster spot will go to a part-time, reserve player, not a projected starter.
NEXT: Guardians Executive Explains Decision To Carry Joey Cantillo On The Roster
