The Cleveland Guardians have designated right-handed pitcher Triston McKenzie for assignment, the team announced on Monday.

The move comes amid a catastrophic start to the season in which he has thrown to an 11.12 ERA over four relief appearances.

It's a sharp fall from where McKenzie was just a few years ago. In 2022, the righty started 30 games, going 11-11 with a 2.96 ERA in his age 24 season, establishing himself, at the time, as one of baseball's best young starters.

Things went off the rails after that, spurred by a right teres major muscle strain that sent him to the 60-day injured list before the 2023 season began. He appeared in only four games that year.

2024 wasn't much better. He started 16 games, compiling a 5.11 ERA and 1.559 FIP.

To begin 2025, McKenzie's walk rate jumped to 11.2 per nine innings while his strikeout rate plummeted to 6.4 per nine.

The Guardians are calling up right-handed reliever Zak Kent from Triple-A Columbus to replace McKenzie. The 27-year-old will make his Major League debut after allowing two runs and striking out 10 in 7.2 innings so far this season.

Closer Emmanuel Clase is also struggling in the Guardians' bullpen

Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) reacts after giving up a hit in the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field.
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Closer Emmanuel Clase has been an All-Star each of the past three seasons, even finishing third in Cy Young voting in 2024. He struggled in the postseason, however, as the New York Yankees teed off against him in the American League Championship Series, scoring four runs over three appearances.

Clase's struggles have continued into 2025, where he has given up nine runs in 10.1 innings, averaging 17.4 hits against him per nine innings.

Clutchpoints' Joey Mistretta summed up the closer's struggles in a column on Sunday, April 20.

“There have been far too many runners on base consistently without question,” he wrote. “Clase isn't missing bats like he did a season ago. Hitters entered Sunday's game batting .390 against the star pitcher.

“Yet, Clase's 4.3 walk rate is below his MLB career 4.8 average, so it isn't as if he's not throwing strikes. The strikes that he is throwing simply aren't as effective as in past years.”

Clase had maybe his worst outing of the year on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates when he gave up three runs on four hits and a walk in Cleveland's 5-4 win.