Triston McKenzie’s Career Hits Sad Turning Point

Sad.

Sad is the word that best describes the situation in which Cleveland Guardians pitcher Triston McKenzie finds himself today.

McKenzie, very tall, and very slender at 6-5, 165 pounds, was once considered a top Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher.

He’s so slender, McKenzie’s nickname is Dr. Sticks.

in 2022, McKenzie went 11-11 for Cleveland, with a sparkling 2.96 ERA, and 0.95 WHIP in 31 appearances, covering 191.1. innings. He started 30 games for Cleveland, and looked like a potential rotation ace.

But McKenzie has faced injury issues throughout his career.

McKenzie missed part of the 2018 season and all of 2019 because of forearm, pectoral and upper back issues. Perhaps those were warning signs of things to come.

The wheels have come off since.

Mckenzie made only four starts in 2023, as the first signs of shoulder and elbow issues emerged for the lanky pitcher.

McKenzie faced a very difficult decision. Should he have surgery to repair his elbow ligament, or choose rest and rehabilitation to deal with the issue?

He realized that surgery would cost him time in the prime of his career.

McKenzie consulted with three doctors before he made his decision to choose rest and rehabilitation, as opposed to having surgery.

As noted in an April 2024 article, The Athletic shared McKenzie’s social media posting regarding his decision to avoid surgery. He posted, “Am I delaying the inevitable?” “Am I doing what’s right for me? Am I not? I feel good now and I can’t say I made the wrong decision.”

McKenzie’s pitching career has spun out of control since he chose to avoid surgery.

Here are his statistics since last season:

He made 16 starts in 2024. His record was 3-5, with a 5.11 ERA, and 1.55 WHIP in 75.2 innings. McKenzie struck out 74, but walked 49. He was walking an average of 5.8 hitters per nine innings.

The most telling and troubling statistic? McKenzie yielded a whopping 19 home runs.

This season, McKenzie looked very shaky in spring training. He pitched as if he had no confidence in where the ball was going after it left his hand.

This past spring, McKenzie was given every opportunity to show he belonged in the Guardians starting rotation.

McKenzie made three starts, going a total of 13 innings. He finished spring training with a 6.92 ERA, and a 1.71 WHIP. He walked eight, and struck out 11. The opposition hit .294 off McKenzie.

McKenzie was out of minor league options, so the Guardians kept him on the club, but assigned him to the bullpen.

In the pen, McKenzie would pick up needed innings when manager Stephen Vogt felt the opportunity was best for him. He really didn’t have a defined role. Just help the team, and the bullpen, as needed.

McKenzie appeared in four games. He threw 5.2 innings, but his 11.12 ERA, and his 2.47 WHIP placed the Guardians front office in a very difficult position.. In his brief time in the pen, McKenzie walked seven, and yielded seven hits. One of them was a homer.

On April 21, 2025, Triston McKenzie, out of options, was designated for assignment. He is no longer on the Guardians 40-man roster.

Any team could have claimed McKenzie.

Any team could have offered to trade for McKenzie.

His new team would have to put him on their major league roster.

No team claimed McKenzie. He wasn’t traded.

McKenzie cleared waivers April 28, 2025.

McKenzie has accepted an assignment to Triple-A Columbus, where he will try to get his command, and control back in shape. He will try to revive his pitching mechanics.

McKenzie will try to revive a once promising career as a big league pitcher with a whip-like arm, and wicked arsenal.

McKenzie has reported to the Guardians spring development camp in Goodyear, Arizona. He will try to begin his renaissance in Goodyear, and then move to Columbus.

For this old scout, the entire Triston McKenzie situation is sad.

What would have happened if McKenzie had the surgery? We don’t know. We won’t know.

The Guardians hope their stellar pitching tutors can bring back the Triston McKenzie that once had a very bright future on the mound in Cleveland.