Guardians to Designate Pitcher Triston McKenzie for Assignment

Once a promising young arm, a bullpen stint this year ended in disaster for the hurler.

Triston McKenzie watches a game against the Blue Jays from the mound. / David Richard-Imagn Images

After six seasons, it appears pitcher Triston McKenzie's time with the Cleveland Guardians has come to an end.

The Guardians are designating McKenzie for assignment, they announced Monday afternoon. Cleveland recalled pitcher Zak Kent from the Columbus Clippers to take McKenzie's roster spot.

McKenzie, 27, shifted from the rotation to the bullpen in 2025 with discouraging results. In 5.2 innings, he struck out just four while allowing seven earned runs—good for an 11.12 ERA.

The Brooklyn native showed promise at the beginning of his career, pitching well in 2020 and memorably taking a perfect game into the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers in 2021. He then broke out in 2022, posting a 2.96 ERA and striking out 190 for a division-winning team.

Since then, a slew of injuries have derailed McKenzie's career. He is 3–8 in the last three seasons with a 5.46 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 97.1 innings pitched.

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