Yardbarker
x
Guardians' John Means Reflects After First Rehab Start
Apr 15, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A detail of the uniform of Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the San Francisco Giants at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Guardians' John Means Reflects After First Rehab Start

Originally posted on Cleveland Guardians on SI
By Tommy Wild  |  Last updated Aug 16, 2025 2:35 PM ET

Reinforcements could be on their way for the Cleveland Guardians' pitching staff. 

Even though the organization traded away Shane Bieber on deadline day, they still have another former All-Star pitcher rehabbing in the minor leagues from Tommy John Surgery: John Means.

The 32-year-old pitched in a bridge game at the Arizona Complex last week, but he officially made his first rehab appearance at the affiliate level on Friday evening, throwing 2.2 scoreless innings with the Lake County Captains (High-A). He only gave up one hit, issued no walks, and struck out three batters, too.

After the outing, Means said it “felt good” to be back on the rubber and admitted he felt a little “adrenaline pump” from pitching in a game. 

In terms of what worked well for the left-hander in this outing, Means said, “I think I was just throwing a lot of strikes. Just kind of getting ahead when I could and trying to put guys away. Just trying to get everything over the plate.”

He certainly was filling up the zone. Of the 38 pitches Means threw, 30 of them registered as strikes. 

Means is well into his rehab process, and so far, he believes his recovery process has “ been going great. I’m really happy with it. Everything has been pretty smooth so far.”

The rate the left-hander is going, Means could very well be an option for the Guardians' big-league team at some point by the end of the regular season. Whether that could be as a starter or out of the bullpen, Stephen Vogt admitted on Friday that those conversations haven’t even started yet.

Means is coming off his second career Tommy John surgery. Vogt made it clear the organization has no intention of rushing him back, even if Cleveland needs another pitcher. The goal is to make sure Means is healthy before he pitches in another big-league game.

That said, the Guardians are battling for a spot in the postseason, and Means could very well be the boost the team needs for one final push at the end of September. 

Means even spoke about how well the Guardians have been playing lately, and how excited he is to potentially be a part of it.

“They’ve been paying great. It’s been fun to watch, it’s been fun to see. I’m just excited to be this far along and to feel good. Yeah, it could be really exciting in the city of Cleveland here soon.”

Read More Cleveland Guardians Coverage:


This article first appeared on Cleveland Guardians on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.