Means (elbow) allowed three runs on four hits while striking out four over 5.1 innings for Triple-A Columbus on Friday.
Means threw 84 pitches (52 strikes) in his seventh rehab start and fifth at Triple-A. The outing is expected to be his final rehab outing, and the left-hander could join the Guardians next week as they vie for a playoff spot. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt told Patrick Donnelly of MLB.com on Friday that he's considering adding Means to the roster but will wait to see how the pitcher responds. The Guardians are already working with a six-man rotation, but Means could offer length out of the bullpen.
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Guardians' John Means: Roughed up in rehab start
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Means (elbow) allowed six earned runs on five hits and four walks while striking out two over 3.2 innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Columbus on Sunday.
Means navigated minimal traffic over two scoreless innings to begin the game but ran into trouble in the third, when he allowed two solo home runs. His struggles continued into the fourth inning, when he walked the bases loaded before giving up a two-run double. Means then balked in the go-ahead run. The left-hander is now six starts into his rehab assignment, and he's yet to find much success since shifting his assignment to Triple-A in late August, producing a 9.00 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 11:10 K:BB in 15 innings over four outings with Columbus. While Means has built his pitch count up to 82 and appears to be ready from a workload standpoint to take on a traditional starting role, his poor form at Triple-A could make the Guardians reluctant to activate him from the 60-day injured list during the upcoming week. The Guardians will have a stretch of six games in five days due to a doubleheader Saturday in Minnesota, but since the team is already running with a six-man rotation, Means may not be called upon to make a spot start for the big club.
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Guardians' John Means: Knocked around in rehab start
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Means (elbow) struck out three and allowed five earned runs on six hits and two walks over 4.1 innings in a rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Columbus.
Means had originally lined up to make the fifth start of his rehab assignment Friday with Columbus, but after falling ill, he ended up being pushed back a couple of days in the pitching schedule. The additional time off didn't prove beneficial for Means, who got stretched out to 72 pitches but wasn't particularly effective, as he surrendered four extra-base hits. The southpaw will presumably make at least one more rehab start with Columbus during the upcoming week before potentially returning from the 60-day injured list to make his Guardians debut in the second half of September.
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Guardians' John Means: Under the weather
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Means (elbow) will not make his scheduled rehab start with Triple-A Columbus on Friday due to an illness, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Means' fifth rehab start will be delayed by at least a day, with the Guardians hoping that the 32-year-old southpaw will be able to pitch Saturday. Means is in the final stages of his recovery from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in June of 2024, and the hope is that he will rejoin the Guardians' rotation before the end of the regular season.
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Guardians' John Means: Another rehab start scheduled
Rotowire
Means (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Wednesday followed by a rehab start for Triple-A Columbus on Friday, MLB.com reports.
Friday's outing will be the fifth rehab start for Means, who logged four innings and 58 pitches in his previous outing Sunday. His pitch count will bump up to 75 on Friday, after which the left-hander could rejoin Cleveland's staff. Presumably, Means would join the rotation, but the Guardians are moving to a six-man rotation this week that currently doesn't include Means, per Molly Burkhardt of MLB.com. Joey Cantillo will start Wednesday's series finale against Boston at Fenway Park, joining the existing five-man rotation. Of the six current starters, Slade Cecconi and Gavin Williams have already passed their career highs in innings pitched, while Logan Allen and Tanner Bibee are nearing theirs. That suggests Means could be a replacement for one of the starters at or past their previous career high in innings.
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Guardians' John Means: Logs four innings in rehab start
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Means (elbow) allowed one unearned run on two hits and two walks while striking out four over four innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Columbus on Sunday.
Making his fourth rehab start and second in a row with Columbus, Means tossed 58 pitches (37 strikes). The left-hander is on track to return from the 60-day injured list at some point in September, though Means will likely need one or two more outings in the minors to build up his pitch count before the Guardians consider him for a spot in the rotation. Per Tim Stebbins of MLB.com, Cleveland 's brass has discussed moving to a six-man rotation in September, as the team facing a taxing schedule that includes a stretch of 17 games in 17 days.
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Guardians' John Means: Rehab start coming Sunday
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Means (elbow) is scheduled to make his next rehab start for Triple-A Columbus on Sunday, MLB.com reports.
Means will be making his fourth rehab start and second for Columbus. He was knocked around in his previous outing at Triple-A on Tuesday, allowing four runs on three hits (all home runs) in three innings. Means had much better results in his first two rehab starts, which came with High-A Lake County.
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Guardians' John Means: Strong second rehab start
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Means (elbow) allowed two hits and one walk while striking out four over 3.2 innings for High-A Lake County on Wednesday.
Means made his second rehab start for the Captains and worked his pitch count to 51 (34 strikes) while using his entire arsenal, per Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. The left-hander, who underwent Tommy John surgery in June of 2024, is on schedule relative to what the team has laid out for him. Means will likely need a couple more rehab starts before he's deemed ready for activation.
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Guardians' John Means: Ready for rehab games
Rotowire
Means (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Lake County on Friday, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
It will be the hurler's first official game action since he underwent a second Tommy John surgery last June. Means is scheduled to throw three innings for Lake County and will continue to build up his stamina before joining the Guardians' rotation, likely in September.
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Guardians' John Means: Could start mound work soon
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Means (elbow) is expected to begin throwing bullpen sessions at some point this month, MLB.com reports.
As of April 30, Means had been responding well since starting up his throwing program, and he had increased his throwing distance off flat ground to 120 feet. Assuming he's avoided any setbacks in his recovery from Tommy John surgery over the ensuing two weeks, he could take the next step forward in the rehab process by getting back on the mound. Means still has multiple checkpoints to hit, but a late-season return from the 60-day injured list remains a possibility for the veteran lefty.
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Guardians' John Means: Shifts to 60-day IL
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The Guardians transferred Means (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Tuesday.
The left-hander is only about 10 months removed from undergoing his second career Tommy John surgery, so it was only a matter of time before he was moved to the 60-day IL. Means continues to ramp up his throwing program and isn't expected to be ready for game action until late in the season.
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Guardians' John Means: Extends throwing distance
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Means (elbow) extended his throwing distance to 75-to-90 feet Wednesday.
Means is still in the early stages of what will be a lengthy throwing program after undergoing his second career Tommy John surgery in June. He likely won't be close to pitching in games until the final month of the season, though there's a possibility the team holds off on deploying him until 2026.
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Guardians' John Means: Signs on with Cleveland
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Means (elbow) agreed Monday with the Guardians on a one-year, $1 million contract that includes a $7.5 million club option for 2026, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.
The two sides reportedly had made progress on a deal over the weekend and now they've crossed the finish line. Means underwent his second Tommy John surgery last June and could miss the entire 2025 season, so the Guardians are essentially making a roll of the dice on him for 2026. The left-hander has made just 10 starts at the major-league level since 2022 due to injuries but held a 3.62 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 134:26 K:BB over 146.2 frames covering 26 starts in 2021.
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Orioles' John Means: Heads to IL with strained forearm
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The Orioles placed Means on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a left forearm strain, Dan Connolly of The Athletic reports.
It's the same injury that forced Means to the IL prior to Opening Day. The left-hander experienced a flareup of the forearm issue during his latest start Wednesday in St. Louis. He'll be eligible to return from the IL in early June, but it's possible he'll need more time than the minimum 15 days given that it's a recurring injury. Cole Irvin is the likeliest candidate to slide into Means' spot in Baltimore's rotation.
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Orioles' John Means: Nabs second win
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Means (2-0) earned the win Friday over the Mariners, allowing two runs on six hits over six innings. He struck out four.
Means got off to a rocky start, allowing a run on three hits in the first inning. However, he'd settle down and hold Seattle to just one additional run over his final five frames in an eventual 9-2 win. It was a nice bounce-back effort from Means after he gave up four runs to Arizona in just 4.2 innings his last time out. The 31-year-old southpaw lowered his ERA to 3.06 with a 0.85 WHIP and 15 strikeouts over 17.2 innings, and he has yet to issue a walk. Means is currently lined up for a road matchup with the Cardinals in his next outing.
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Orioles' John Means: Stellar in 2024 debut
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Means (1-0) earned the win in Saturday's 2-1 victory over the Reds, allowing three hits over seven scoreless innings. He struck out eight without issuing a walk.
A setback with Means' surgically repaired left elbow put the southpaw on the injured list to begin the 2024 season. After an extended, six-start rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk, Means transitioned beautifully to the big-league rotation, blanking the Reds in Great American Ball Park while racking up 19 swings and misses on 85 pitches. The Cincinnati offense has been in a bad way, but regardless it was an impressive return for Means and he's fully built up heading into his next projected matchup at home against the Diamondbacks. An All-Star in 2019, Means has thrown a no-hitter in the majors and owns a 3.67 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 387.1 career innings over parts of seven seasons.
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Orioles' John Means: Returns from IL
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The Orioles reinstated Means (forearm) from the 15-day injured list Wednesday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Though manager Brandon Hyde had already noted Monday that Means was on track to rejoin the rotation for this weekend's series in Cincinnati, the Orioles activated him early since the southpaw's 30-day minor-league rehab window officially came to an end. The Orioles placed Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) on the 15-day IL in a corresponding move, so Means' arrival means that the team should have room in the rotation for at least one of Albert Suarez and Cole Irvin, or even both pitchers if Hyde elects to go with a six-man rotation. Means struggled mightily through the first five starts of his rehab stint with Triple-A Norfolk (13.89 ERA, 2.31 WHIP in 11.2 innings), but he closed his minor-league assignment in dominant fashion Sunday, striking out eight over seven shutout innings and allowing just one hit and one walk. He tossed 95 pitches (61 strikes) in the outing and is unlikely to face any major restrictions when he makes his 2024 Orioles debut, likely Friday or Saturday.
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Orioles' John Means: Builds up to 79 pitches
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Means (forearm) struck out five and allowed three earned runs on seven hits and one walk over 4.1 innings in a rehab start Tuesday for Triple-A Norfolk.
Means built up to 79 pitches in the rehab start, his fifth overall with Norfolk. The 31-year-old lefty hasn't performed as well as the Orioles had hoped during the rehab assignment -- he holds a 13.89 ERA, 2.41 WHIP and 14:6 K:BB in 11.2 innings -- but with Wednesday's outing arguably being Means' best yet, he could be cleared to return from the 15-day injured list soon. According to Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com, the Orioles haven't ruled out the possibility of Means returning from the IL to start Sunday versus the Athletics, though the club may prefer to have the red-hot Albert Suarez (11.1 scoreless innings through two starts) make another turn through the rotation.
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Orioles' John Means: Making another rehab start
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Orioles general manager Mike Elias said Means (forearm) will make another rehab start during the upcoming week, Danielle Allentuck of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.
Means made the third start of his rehab assignment this past Thursday with Triple-A Norfolk, striking out three over three innings while allowing two runs on two hits and two walks. The lefty tossed 61 pitches (35 strikes) in the start, so he may need only one or two more outings in the minors before getting cleared to return from the 15-day injured list. Once activated, Means will most likely join the rotation as a replacement for Cole Irvin, as the two southpaws' pitching schedules are currently aligned.
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Orioles' John Means: Making second rehab start
Rotowire
Means (forearm) will get the start for Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday against Charlotte, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.
Means struggled in his first rehab start Monday, giving up seven runs on six hits and a walk over just one inning. He'll look to have a bounce-back performance Saturday as he works through a left forearm strain that flared up at the start of spring training.
