Franco Aleman’s ‘Childhood Dream Comes True’ in Call-up to Major League Roster

"It's a childhood dream come true. I feel like eight-year-old me. Today, I put my picture when I was like eight or nine in Cuba as my screensaver just to remind myself to just be a kid out there and have fun."

Words uttered by 25-year-old prospect Franco Aleman in the slightly warm Cleveland Guardians dugout with local media members huddled around him.

The right-handed reliever will make his big league debut in the coming days after receiving a call-up from Triple-A Columbus. After starting off the 2026 campaign on a stellar note, tossing 12 innings without giving up an earned run, striking out 18 batters in the process, Aleman received a phone call on Thursday that he would be called up to the Guardians' major league roster.

"The manager yesterday, after the game, called me and told me there was a really good chance that I was going to get activated after the game," Aleman said. "The first person I called was my wife, of course, and she started crying immediately... very happy for me."

#Guardians reliever Franco Aleman on being called up to the big leagues:

"The manager yesterday, after the game, called me and told me there was a really good chance that I was going to get activated after the game. The first person I called was my wife, of course, and she…
— Cade Cracas (@CracasCade) May 8, 2026

It's hard to imagine everyone around him not being happy for him, after all, he had been through plenty of ups and downs in his career.

Injuries riddled the early years of his professional baseball career, with him most recently starting the 2025 season on the injured list. He had undergone a left hip inguinal hernia repair back in February of that year.

But even before then, he had been banged up a few times. In 2024, he missed time with a right lat strain, which forced him onto the 7-day injured list.

None of these injury stints has seemed to slow him down, though, as across the last three campaigns, he has posted an average ERA of 4.67 in 71.1 innings of action. A WHIP of 1.346, which could be lower, is balanced out by a clip of 13.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

But when asked about what led to him being so effective on the mound, he didn't hype up his incredible command or ability to throw a 99 mph fastball past batters; he spoke to just having fun.

"I feel like being in AAA for three years, one of the biggest lessons is just to have fun and not think about when that day [a call-up] might come," Aleman said when reflecting. "I was trying my best to just have fun with the guys, focus on my routines and enjoy the moment.

"I definitely thought about it [being called up], but I was trying my best not to."

Now, being in Cleveland, the moment has begun to settle in, but what actually hit him and made him realize he had finally made it was rather... interesting.

"I mean, I feel like the most impressive thing is as soon as you walk out of the clubhouse and you see the stadium, it's very impressive. Very, very impressive," he said as his eyes bolted around Progressive Field. "It feels cozy in here. It's very windy and cold outside. You walk in the stadium, and it's a cozy, homey feel. I love it."

That may not be the most obvious answer, but it's the little things, like the difference in stadium size, that stand out to some of these young players.

In front of those who have helped him along his journey, ones that will be sitting in the blue chairs lining the diamond, that childhood dream Aleman mentioned will finally be a reality.

"My wife, my mom, my brother, my in-laws, some cousins that I went to high school with, and we graduated together," Aleman said about those who will be in attendance. "They're huge baseball fans... Very special day."

#Guardians reliever Franco Aleman on who is in attendance for his debut today at Progressive Field:

"My wife, my mom, my brother, my in-laws, some cousins that I went to high school with and we graduated together. They're huge baseball fans... Very special day."#GuardsBall
— Cade Cracas (@CracasCade) May 8, 2026

While it's currently unknown whether or not the Guardians will be able to get in tonight's game, because, as always, the Cleveland weather is projecting unfavorable conditions, Aleman's dream of stepping foot on the major league hill will still come true at some point this weekend.

The Guardians and Twins series will run from Friday through Sunday, May 10.

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