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Hey, Hoynsie: Can you update me on the performance of the Guardians’ 2025 draft class. — Kurt Miller, Worthington.
Hey, Kurt: No. 1 pick outfielder Jace LaViolette didn’t play because of surgery on his right hand, but several members of the class helped Class A Lynchburg win the Carolina League championship. Riley Nelson (fifth round) hit .381 (8 for 21) with one homer and four RBI in the postseason. Nolan Schubart (third round) hit .333 (6 for 18) with one homer and four RBI. Right-hander Will McCausland (seven round) went 2-0 in three games and didn’t allow a run in 6 2/3 innings.
Hey, Hoynsie: Who represented the Guardians in the MLB golf tournament held in Las Vegas during the GM meetings? — Tony Mollica, The Plains, Ohio.
Hey, Tony: Kenny Lofton and Slade Cecconi represented the Guardians.
Hey, Hoynsie: The Guardians could use some help in the bullpen. What is the latest on Trevor Stephan? Will he be able to throw in spring training? — Charlie Bentley.
Guardians right-hander Trevor Stephan.Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
Hey, Charlie: Stephan was outrighted off the 40-man roster near the end of last season and accepted his assignment to Triple-A Columbus. The Guardians still owe him $3.5 million for next season as part of the four-year $10 million deal he signed in 2023.
He made 19 minor league appearances last season as he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. He was still working on his velocity and control when he was outrighted.
Right now, he’s a strong candidate to be invited to spring training, probably on a minor league deal.
Hey, Hoynsie: It seems the Guardians traded Shane Bieber to Toronto under the assumption that he would turn down his player option for 2026 and become a free agent. But he exercised it. Why didn’t they Guardians keep him? Wouldn’t it have helped them in the wild card series? — Roger Luca, Tallahassee, Florida.
Hey, Roger: Bieber’s decision to stay in Toronto rather than test the free agent market surprised a lot of people. Why he did it, when he could have earned more money on the open market is unknown.
As for helping the Guardians in the wild card series against Detroit, pitching wasn’t their problem. Their problem was scoring runs.
Hey, Hoynsie: If the Guardians had been able to trade Emmanuel Clase before he was put on paid leave in July just before the trade deadline, what do you think they could have received in return? — Chris Wells, Powell.
Hey, Chris: They could have named their price. Contenders were hungry for closers at the July 31 trade deadline, and Clase was better than any closer that changed hands. The Yankees traded seven players for closers David Bednar and Camilo Doval. The Padres traded infielder Leodalis De Vries, ranked third by MLB.com among its top 100 prospects, and three other players to the A’s for closer Mason Miller and JP Sears.
Hey, Hoynsie: The Guardians aren’t going to do anything in the offseason, are they? Re-signing Austin Hedges doesn’t count. — Carl, Las Vegas.
Hey, Carl: I think they’ll definitely do something to help the offense. They have no choice if they plan to contend.
Hey, Hoynsie: What’s the latest on the TV package for the Guardians for next season and future seasons? — Thomas Reindel, Broadview Heights.
Hey, Thomas: ESPN’s purchase of the in-market streaming rights for the Guardians for the next three years (2026 through 2028) will give fans a new avenue to watch their favorite team with the ESPN app. The games will still be produced by MLB and be available to viewers on the platforms they used in 2025, including the MLB app.
Hey, Hoynsie: Omar Vizquel should be in the Hall of Fame on the basis of his baseball accomplishments. If the citizenry voted like the baseball writers, we’d never elect a president. — Dale Todd. Athens, Ohio.
Hey, Dale: I agree, but his off-the-field problems have ruined his chance with the Baseball Writers Association of America. He has one year of eligibility left (as long as he gets 5% of the vote this year). After that it will be up to the Era Committee.
Former Guardians right-hander Nic Enright.John Kuntz, cleveland.com
Hey, Hoynsie: It’s a bummer about Nic Enright. He’s an inspiration who pitched well with Cleveland. — John Power, Lakewood, California.
Hey, John: Enright was designated for assignment when the Guardians filled out the 40-man roster on Tuesday in anticipation of the Rule 5 Draft in December.
Not only is he recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, but he was scheduled to undergo his final rounds of immunotherapy this offseason for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Enright will need at least a year to recover from Tommy John surgery. I hope we haven’t see the last of him on a big-league mound.
Hey, Hoynsie: Is there any compensation for the Guardians if MLB bans Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz for life? — Tyler Schloss, Athens, Ohio.
Hey, Tyler: No, and there’s precedent for that no.
The last time I looked the White Sox did not receive compensation for the eight players they had banned for life after throwing the 1919 World Series.
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