CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians are headed to the winter meetings on Sunday in Orlando, Florida, with two open spots on their 40-man roster.
On Friday, St. Louis claimed right-hander Zak Kent on waivers from the Guardians to leave them with 38 players on their big-league roster.
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Kent made 12 appearances for the Guardians last season. He was 1-0 with a 4.58 ERA, striking out 16 and walking eight in 17 2/3 innings. The opposition hit .254 against him.
The Guardians acquired Kent from Texas in March 2024. He made only 14 appearances for Triple-A Columbus because of a sore right elbow. The Guardians eventually designated him for assignment but re-signed him in July 2024.
Kent opened the 2025 season at Columbus. In 34 games, he went 2-3 with a 2.84 ERA. He struck out 50, walked 21 and allowed 30 hits in 38 innings.
He made his big-league debut on April 23, throwing three innings against the Yankees in a 5-1 loss. Kent allowed one run with four strikeouts and two walks.
Look for the Guardians to replace Kent with another reliever. They added right-hander Connor Bragdon earlier in the week but still need depth in the pen.
They will also have two open roster spots for Wednesday’s Rule 5 Draft unless they do some business between now and then.
Paul Hoynes, born in Cleveland, has been the beat writer for the Indians/Guardians since 1983. He attended Cathedral Latin High School in Cleveland and received a journalism degree from Marquette University. He…
