Cleveland Guardians Announce Decision on Struggling Pitcher

The Cleveland Guardians are sending right-hander Slade Cecconi on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus, the next step in his return from right arm fatigue that landed him on the 15-day injured list earlier this month.

Cecconi, 27, was placed on the IL on Aug. 7 after a brief and rocky shift to the bullpen. An MRI found no structural damage, and he has since thrown bullpen sessions.

Club officials have framed a Clippers assignment as the logical way to rebuild innings before he rejoins Cleveland.

The timing is less about a midseason breakout than about a season that never quite settled.

In 23 appearances (21 starts), Cecconi is 4-7 with a 5.07 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 128 hits and 62 earned runs in 110 innings. He has struck out 88 and walked 37, allowing 17 home runs. That ERA is more than three-quarters of a run worse than his 4.30 mark over 23 starts in 2025.

The year opened poorly. Over his first eight starts, his ERA sat north of 6.00 as hitters teed off on a four-seamer that too often found the heart of the plate.

A midseason adjustment — including more slider usage and work with catcher Patrick Bailey — produced a stretch of better results in June. That bounce did not last. After the All-Star break he repeatedly failed to finish five innings, and his last seven outings carry a 7.01 ERA with 37 hits in 25 2/3 innings.

The trade deadline finished the collapse of his rotation job. Cleveland acquired Foster Griffin and moved Cecconi to relief on Aug. 4.

He threw 2 2/3 decent innings against the Mets, then imploded two nights later: zero outs, three hits, two walks and four earned runs in a 13-6 loss. He reported arm fatigue after that outing and was shut down.

Columbus is familiar ground. Cecconi rehabbed there last spring after a left oblique strain delayed his Guardians debut.

This time the assignment is about building arm strength and command after a year defined by inconsistency, a late-season role change and an injury that arrived at the worst possible moment.

If he comes back healthy, Cleveland still needs innings. The numbers he posted before the IL stint explain why the club is being careful about how those innings arrive.