Guardians Add Slade Cecconi to ALCS Roster Against Rays

Cleveland will rely on additional pitching depth as it opens the American League Championship Series against Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field, following a demanding Division Series against the Chicago White Sox. The Guardians announced a roster change for the best-of-seven matchup, adding right-hander Slade Cecconi in place of utility player Daniel Schneemann to help manage the bullpen workload.

The Rays entered the series after winning 98 games during the regular season, while Cleveland finished with 85 victories. According to MLB Trade Rumors, the teams announced their ALCS rosters ahead of the opening game, with Tampa Bay selecting Drew Rasmussen and Cleveland naming Foster Griffin as its Game 1 starters.

Griffin, acquired at the trade deadline, recorded a 3.60 ERA across 172 2/3 innings with Washington and Cleveland during the regular season. His ERA was 3.06 with the Nationals and 5.19 with the Guardians, although one difficult outing against Baltimore accounted for much of his damage in Cleveland. In his only ALDS appearance, Griffin allowed one run over 2 2/3 innings and struck out seven of 11 batters.

Rasmussen finished the regular season with a 2.67 ERA over 172 innings. He followed that performance by limiting the Yankees to three baserunners across eight innings in the ALDS while recording 10 strikeouts, according to MLB Trade Rumors.

Cleveland's roster decision followed a five-game Division Series in which the Guardians overcame an 0-2 deficit against Chicago. The team's pitching staff struck out 75 batters, setting an MLB Division Series record, but the workload placed considerable pressure on its late-inning relievers.

Manager Stephen Vogt acknowledged the challenge of preparing his pitching staff for another demanding stretch after Cleveland played five games in eight days. The ALCS schedule includes as many as seven games in nine days, with three sets of consecutive-game dates.

"We just got done playing five games in eight days and now we’ve got seven games in nine days. We’re talking through what does the roster need to look like for us to combat that."

Vogt made the comments Sunday while discussing the team's roster preparations, as Cleveland evaluated how to preserve its most heavily used pitchers for the upcoming series.

One concern emerged during Game 4 against Chicago, when Vogt kept Cade Smith on the mound for a second inning rather than bringing in Matt Festa with Cleveland holding a six-run lead. Smith allowed a home run and a walk in the ninth, prompting the manager to use Gavin Williams to record the final three outs. Williams then returned less than 48 hours later to start Game 5.

Vogt recognized the demands placed on Smith during the series.

"We asked way too much of Cade in this series and he answered," Vogt said.

Cecconi offers Cleveland another option for covering multiple innings. He worked primarily as a starter during the regular season, making 21 starts and posting a 4.78 ERA before moving to the bullpen following Griffin's arrival. According to cleveland.com, Cecconi also handled multi-inning relief assignments in August and September, making him a potential option if a starter exits early or the bullpen needs to conserve its highest-leverage arms.

The roster change means Cleveland will forgo Schneemann's defensive versatility and left-handed bat. The utility player hit .210 with a .276 on-base percentage and a .332 slugging percentage in 286 plate appearances, producing a 72 wRC+ during the regular season. He was included on the ALDS roster but did not appear in a game.

Another potential option discussed before the roster announcement was veteran first baseman Rhys Hoskins. He had been hitting during postseason workouts, and his availability depended on the condition of his lower back. Hoskins would provide a right-handed power option and postseason experience, having reached the World Series with Philadelphia in 2022. Cleveland ultimately selected Cecconi over Schneemann, prioritizing another pitcher for the longer series.

Tampa Bay also made a bullpen adjustment, replacing left-hander Garrett Cleavinger with right-hander Brody Hopkins. Cleavinger entered mid-August with a 3.09 ERA but allowed 10 runs over his final 6 1/3 innings before landing on the injured list with forearm discomfort. Although cleared for the ALDS, he did not pitch.

Hopkins, 24, brings a fastball that can reach 100 mph but struggled with control in Triple-A and during his brief major league debut. He walked 21% of his opponents in Triple-A during the season, according to MLB Trade Rumors. The change gives Tampa Bay another power-armed relief option as the 98-win club prepares to face Cleveland's pitching staff.