On Wednesday, it was revealed that Cleveland Guardians relief pitching prospect may need surgery to repair an inguinal hernia.
Later that day, the Guardians’ concerns were confirmed: he will have to have surgery, which will require him to miss several weeks.
“Aleman will undergo hernia surgery and be sidelined to start the season. No timeline currently for a return to the mound,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.
It’s hard to tell exactly how much time Aleman will miss because of the type of the injury, but we do know that the team will take its time with him to ensure he comes back in the best possible form.
Of course, having the greatest and deepest group of relievers in the game allows you to let Aleman recuperate at his own speed.
The young right-hander was added to the Guardians’ 40-man roster in the fall to avoid being selected in the Rule 5 Draft.
With a high-90s fastball that can reach triple digits and a filthy slider, he has traditional power pitcher tools.
He also had a 1.99 ERA in 22.2 innings for the Columbus Clippers, the Guardians’ Triple-A affiliate, in 2024.
His 34 strikeouts demonstrate that he can generate swings and misses with remarkable ease.
Aleman could be the next great Guardians reliever, but he’ll have to wait at least a few weeks before making his MLB debut.
Returning to full health is likely to be the top priority right now.
Everything else will come with time.
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For the time being, the Guardians will have to proceed without him, though a more specific schedule is expected soon.
