The Cleveland Guardians made a roster move ahead of their series opener against the Seattle Mariners, designating outfielder Stuart Fairchild for assignment. Taking his spot on the active roster is Cooper Ingle, the team’s No. 3 prospect who will make his MLB debut on Friday night.
Fairchild’s time in Cleveland was brief and not especially productive. In 14 games, he hit .158 with a .407 on-base percentage that was almost entirely driven by seven walks. He didn’t have a single extra-base hit. The 30-year-old has bounced around the league since debuting with Arizona in 2021, also spending time with the Mariners, Giants, Reds, Braves, and now the Guardians. He’s a serviceable fourth outfielder type, so it wouldn’t be a shock if another club puts in a claim.
Ingle is a different story. The 24-year-old has been tearing it up at Triple-A this season, posting a .284/.416/.551 slash line with 12 homers in 51 games. He’s a catcher and outfielder, but the Guardians are using him as the designated hitter for his debut. He’ll bat fifth against Seattle.
Cleveland desperately needs some offensive life right now. Jose Ramirez is hurt. So are Chase DeLauter and Angel Martinez. That’s a lot of key bats missing from a lineup that wasn’t exactly mashing before the injuries piled up. The front office might explore trades for hitting help, but in the meantime they need guys already in the organization to step up. Ingle is the first test of that approach.
The Guardians are 42-39 entering this three-game home series against the Mariners. First pitch is at 7:10 PM EST. It’s not a flashy move, but it’s the kind of call-up that could matter if Ingle keeps hitting like he has been.
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