The Guardians optioned Nikhazy to Triple-A Columbus on Saturday, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Nikhazy entered spring training as an unlikely candidate to make the Guardians' Opening Day roster, and the 27-year-old southpaw will indeed open the 2026 season in the minors. He spent most of the 2025 campaign in Triple-A, where he went 5-7 in 21 games (19 starts) while posting a 5.02 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 87:43 K:BB across 86 innings. Nikhazy appeared in two regular-season games for Cleveland in 2025 and could see some starts in the majors in 2026 when the Guardians need an extra arm in the rotation.