The Cleveland Guardians, like the rest of MLB teams, only have 26 roster spots to give away.
Talented, deep organizations like Cleveland often struggle to fit them all on the roster; in other words, gifted players often fail to make the team due to the numbers game.
After the Guardians acquired lefty-hitting outfielder Nolan Jones over the weekend, the writing was on the wall for Will Brennan.
He just didn’t fit in the roster and has been optioned to Triple-A.
“The Guardians have informed outfielder Will Brennan and reliever Andrew Walters that they will be optioned to Triple-A Columbus. Joey Cantillo will be in the ‘pen, and the bulk of Nolan Jones’ ABs are expected to be in right field vs. RHP,” Guardians insider Tim Stebbins posted on X.
The Guardians have informed outfielder Will Brennan and reliever Andrew Walters that they will be optioned to Triple-A Columbus.
Joey Cantillo will be in the 'pen, and the bulk of Nolan Jones' ABs are expected to be in right field vs. RHP.
— Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) March 24, 2025
Brennan had a .714 OPS in the Cactus League this year and a .697 mark in the 2024 regular season.
He also boasts a .685 career mark.
In other words, he is an adequate, slightly below-average regular whom the Guardians were looking to upgrade from.
And they did: they already have Jhonkensy Noel to play against lefties, and Jones will get the majority of at-bats against righties.
Brennan will now have to start over in Columbus, hoping to get another extended opportunity at some point.
Seeing Walters optioned is mildly surprising, though.
He recently overcame a shoulder issue, though, so the team probably wants him to pitch in a few minor league games to regain his rhythm and confidence.
He had a 12.00 ERA in the Cactus League, with a 2.67 WHIP.
Those numbers will probably be a distant memory once he gets in a groove.
NEXT: Analyst Says One Player Could Drastically Change The Guardians Lineup
