Guardians Bid Farewell to Former Electrifying Pitcher

Karinchak missed all of 2024 due to shoulder issues, but prior to last season, he was one of the better bullpen arms Cleveland had to offer.

The 29-year-old broke into the big leagues with the Guardians in 2019 but did not begin earning significant use until 2021, when he pitched to the tune of a 4.01 ERA while allowing 35 hits and registering 78 strikeouts over 55.1 innings of work.

Karinchak had a breakout campaign in 2022, logging a 2.08 ERA and fanning 62 batters across 39 frames. He also posted an impressive 2.29 FIP.

The Bryant University product continued to impress the following year, registering a 3.23 ERA while rattling off 52 punchouts through 32 innings.

Karinchak owns a lifetime average of 13.7 strikeouts per nine innings and has surrendered just 98 hits over 165.2 total frames.

Luckily, the Guardians' bullpen is absolutely loaded and was actually one of the best units in baseball history this past year, and that was without Karinchak.

Taking that into consideration, Cleveland won't be missing the Newburgh, N.Y. native at all in 2025.

The Guardians just have to hope their contingent of Emmanuel Clase, Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and Co. holds up over the course of 162 games again.