Will Franco Aleman Return to the Cleveland Guardians' Major League Roster?

6-foot-6, 235 pounds. An 80th-percentile fastball in both velocity and extension.

If given the opportunity, 25-year-old reliever Franco Aleman has the tools to develop into one of Cleveland's most dominant high-leverage bullpen arms.

Called up on May 8th, the Cleveland Guardians gave Aleman a shot to show his worth at the highest level of the game. However, due to long-winded performances and a need for extra longevity out of the bullpen, his stay in the majors lasted a measly two outings.

But with him continuing to pitch at an elite level, he should get a shot to return to the big leagues and settle into the bullpen.

Across 22 games and 15 games finished, including seven saves, Aleman has dominated at the Triple-A level. He has an eye-popping 0.41 ERA and 0.682 WHIP, showing command of the strike zone while limiting both runners getting on base and those crossing home plate.

He has only allowed eight hits, seven walks, two runs and one earned run this year, which again shows just how efficient he has been.

Just recently, the team optioned reliever Codi Heuer to Triple-A Columbus to free up a roster spot at the big league level for prospect Daniel Espino. While he has yet to play, such a move was head-scratching when Aleman continues to light up the catcher's glove down in Columbus.

If the two were promoted together, an argument would cease to exist, but because that wasn't the case, Espino's spotlight is going to be brighter until Aleman gets his shot again.

A 10th-round selection back in 2021, Aleman has had a quick rise to stardom in Cleveland's farm system. He was never the flashiest, nor the biggest name, but he has taken a major leap in 2026 and forced himself into the organization's future plans.

“Really impressive," Guardians' bench coach Tony Arnerich shared about Aleman's arm back in early May. "I mean, there’s some funk to that. That ball’s coming in hot. It’s a unique heater. He showed the ability to flip the slider when he needed to, too. He did not look scared. He looked ready."

His advanced metrics, according to TJStats, have him listed in the above average percentile in walk percentage, o-swing percentage, strike percentage, zone percentage and swing percentage, all of which indicate not only a knack for finding the zone, but forcing batters to swing at his pitches.

He also ranks within the "great" category in fastball velocity and extension, two things the group at Progressive Field values highly.

It's not like the current manager for the Guardians doesn't believe he belongs, either, as he said after Aleman was optioned that he expected him back up soon.

"We know Franco will be back to help us win a ton of games," he said when Aleman was optioned. "It's just the position we're in right now."

So, will Franco Aleman get his shot soon? The answer is yes.

Aleman has already shown the Guardians' front office that he possesses the stuff to retire major league hitters. When the opportunity presents itself, he should find himself back in Cleveland, providing another high-octane arm at the back end of the bullpen.

It's only a matter of time.

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