Shawn Armstrong to Begin Rehab From Right Groin Strain in Double-A Akron

Prior to his injury, Armstrong had been the Cleveland Guardians' setup arm, deploying him in high-leverage situations before turning to closer Cade Smith.

Mar 30, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shawn Armstrong (43) pitches seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Shawn Armstrong is on the road to recovery.

On Monday, May 11, it was officially announced that the Cleveland Guardians' veteran reliever, Armstrong, would be making his first rehab assignment appearance with the Double-A Akron Rubberducks. He will pitch for the first time in a few weeks on Tuesday, May 12, in a matchup against the Chesapeake Baysox scheduled for 6:35 p.m. EST.

This update is a positive sign for the 35-year-old, who hasn't pitched since April 21 in an outing for the Guardians against the Houston Astros. Armstrong tossed a perfect one inning, allowing no one on base.

However, just a few days later, he was sent to the 15-day injured list due to a right groin strain, something that has kept him inactive ever since.

Leading up to that point, he was having a few ups and downs on the mound, posting a 4.22 ERA and 1.406 WHIP across 10.2 innings. The catch, though, is that most of the runs given up came in very few outings.

Of his 12 games played, he gave up three runs across 0.0 innings against the Baltimore Orioles, one run against the Seattle Mariners across 0.2 innings and one against the Chicago Cubs across 1.1 innings. Outside of those three appearances, he hadn't given up a run and only six combined hits across nine other relief stints.

With that in mind, it should be no question that when he returns from injury, the Guardians' coaching staff will again look to him in high-leverage situations.

This past offseason, when the front office went out and signed him to a one-year deal, they knew they would be getting a guy who is approaching the tail-end of his career. Across 12 seasons of professional ball, he has been one of the more consistent late-game options, tossing a 3.83 ERA with a whopping 447 strikeouts.

Just last season, his advanced metrics had him listed as one of the best relievers in the game.

His pitching run value, fastball run value and hard-hit% were all in the 90th percentile and above. His xBA, average exit velocity, strikeout% and extension were all in the 75th percentile and up as well.

He's a dominant arm with a four-pitch mix that he uses evenly, seeing his four-seamer, sweeper, sinker, and cutter all melt the strike zone.

Plopping him in Double-A, rather than Triple-A, allows Armstrong to get his footing easier against bats that are inexperienced. Throwing such speed-heavy pitches, especially after a break in time like injuries, can cause a pitcher's command to waver a bit. In this situation, there isn't much pressure to perform and he can get away with more slip-ups.

The Guardians know that when Armstrong returns, he will be a great addition to a somewhat questionable bullpen, but the goal right now is to preserve his confidence and put him in the best spot to come back and immediately contribute in the big leagues when ready.