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Cleveland Guardians Lose Ace to Injured List

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Eric W. Bolin | Last updated May 13, 2025 10:23 PM ET

Ben Lively was a surprise Opening Day starter for the Cleveland Guardians this season. Expected to be a middle-of-the-rotation arm, Lively stepped in for the team's expected ace Tanner Bibee after manager Stephen Vogt scratched Bibee because of a minor injury.

But instead of middle-of-the-rotation arm, Lively has been Cleveland's best pitcher this season. His 0.8 bWAR leads the rotation and trails just players on the team overall, behind Steven Kwan (2.4), Gabriel Arias (1.1), Jose Ramirez (0.9) and Hunter Gaddis (0.9).

Lively holds a 2-2 record with a 3.22 earned-run average in 10 starts and had given up just one run in 14 innings over three starts in May.

Now, in the midst of a dogfight in the American League Central, Vogt must come up with another plan. Cleveland entered Tuesday trailing the division-leading Tigers by 2 1/2 games and were ahead of third-place Kansas City a 1/2 game.

The Guardians placed Lively on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a strained right flexor tendon. He left his start the night before against the Milwaukee Brewers after three innings.

The injury had bothered Lively in his previous start against the Washington Nationals on May 6, Vogt said then. It hadn't returned until his fourth-inning warm-up throws against the Brewers.

"He felt like he could keep pitching. We took that away from him, much to his dismay. So that gives me a little bit of hope that it's something that he felt that he could pitch through. We just have to wait to hear the report," Vogt said before Tuesday's game.

Cleveland called up Zak Kent from Triple-A Columbus.

The Guardians have called up right-hander Zak Kent from Triple-A Columbus. Lively's turn in the rotation next comes up May 17 when the Guardians visit the Cincinnati Reds.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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