The Cleveland Guardians are paying close attention to Triston McKenzie’s spring training performance.
He was excellent in his breakout campaign in 2022 with a 2.96 ERA in 191.1 frames, but everything has gone downhill since then as he was diagnosed with UCL damage in his pitching elbow.
He pitched just 16 frames in 2023 and posted a disappointing 5.11 ERA in 75.2 innings last year amid severe control and command issues.
In the 2024-25 offseason, McKenzie worked hard to increase his velocity and get the zip back in his pitches.
So far, his Cactus League results have been mixed, as was his performance on Monday afternoon.
“Triston McKenzie went 3.2 IP, 3 K, 7 H, 2 ER, flashing his usual mix of deception and extension. The fastball sat 93-94 mph with life, while his slider worked well off it with a 103 proStuff+. McKenzie’s stuff is trending up—just needs the results to follow!” Pitch Profiler posted on X.
Triston McKenzie went 3.2 IP, 3 K, 7 H, 2 ER, flashing his usual mix of deception and extension. The fastball sat 93-94 mph with life, while his slider worked well off it with a 103 proStuff+.
McKenzie’s stuff is trending up—just needs the results to follow! pic.twitter.com/ACL9ZyHlVy
— Pitch Profiler (@pitchprofiler) March 10, 2025
There were some good and bad aspects about McKenzie’s outing.
He allowed a couple of runs, but they came in 3.2 innings so it wasn’t a disaster from a run-prevention standpoint.
The seven hits are tougher to digest, in all fairness.
He was hittable, which means his command just wasn’t sharp and he had a few misses.
There are some positive things to take away from his game, though.
The no-walks part is amazing to see, as McKenzie is known for losing the zone entirely from time to time.
McKenzie accumulated 13 whiffs, which is also a fantastic development.
It means if he can sharpen his command as he ramps up, he will strike out a ton of hitters.
He has a horrible 8.53 ERA on the spring, but considering the whiffs, the increased velocity on all his pitches, and the fact he didn’t walk anyone, there is some hope for the future.
As long as that elbow holds up, the upside is there to be a useful piece for the Guardians.
It’s a risky dance with fate, though.
NEXT: Guardians Reporter Says Team Could Have Elite 1-2 Punch In The Rotation
