The Cleveland Guardians shuffled their bullpen Saturday between games of a doubleheader against the Pirates. Left-hander Will Dion got the call from Triple-A, and righty Codi Heuer was sent back down.
Dion, 26, has only appeared in six big-league games across his career. But he’s put together a solid season at Triple-A Columbus: a 3.62 ERA over 21 appearances. With Tim Herrin still sidelined by an injury, the Guardians needed another left-handed arm out of the bullpen, and Dion gives them that.
Heuer, 30, has pitched in seven games for Cleveland this year and has a 5.63 ERA. That’s not great, but he’s still a useful depth piece. He’s on the 40-man roster, so don’t be surprised if he’s back up at some point later in the summer. The Guardians clearly like having him around.
The timing of these moves is interesting. Cleveland dropped the first game of the doubleheader 7-1, which left them a half-game behind the White Sox for first place in the American League Central. Chicago lost 1-0 to the Blue Jays Saturday, so the door is still open for the Guardians to gain ground in the nightcap.
This team has the pieces to win the division. The starting rotation has been strong all year. But there are two obvious problems. The offense goes quiet too often. And the bullpen has been inconsistent — sometimes sharp, sometimes leaky. It’s why you’re seeing these roster tweaks now, and it’s likely why Cleveland will be shopping before the trade deadline. Expect them to look for a bat or two and maybe another reliever.
For now, the hope is that Dion can step in and settle things down. He’s not a star, but he doesn’t have to be. The Guardians just need someone to get outs when the game gets tight.
Leave a Comment