MINNEAPOLIS – The Guardians energized one familiar pitcher, while they were downing another Sunday morning at Target Field.
Traston McKenzie has been taken off the 60-day injured list. He will make his first start of the season on Sunday when he faces the Twins. Joe Ryan starts in Minnesota.
The Guardians had to make two moves to activate McKenzie. They selected reliever Michael Kelly to Class AAA Columbus after adding him to the 40-man roster on Saturday. To keep Kelly on the 40-man roster, right-hander Zach Plissack was assigned the assignment.
It comes down to the Guards favoring veteran pitcher V. Kelly, who has only four games of big-league experience, over Plissack, a member of their division since 2019 before being optioned to Columbus on May 4.
Plesac was 1-1 with a 7.59 ERA in five starts when he was sent down to Triple-A. Last season he went 3-12 with a 4.31 ERA in 25 games, including 24 starts.
The Guardians have seven days to trade or release Plissack or place him on waivers.
McKenzie strained the teres major muscle in his right shoulder in his last start in spring training. He’s been in rehab ever since.
Last season McKenzie went 11-11 with a 2.92 ERA. He made three rehab runs in Columbus, allowing five earned runs in 10 1/3 innings to prepare to rejoin the rotation.
The Guardians signed Kelly to a minor league deal and brought him to spring training.
Plesac, a 12th round draft pick in 2016, leaves Cleveland with a 26-27 record in 84 games, including 83 starts. His career ERA is 4.20.
In five starts in Columbus, he went 1-3 with a 7.56 ERA.