2022 was a good season for the Cleveland Guardians as they ended up winning the AL Central with 92 wins. Their postseason was cut short as they lost in the Division Series. Experts have predicted that they will have a similar season in 2023. The Guardians have looked good in Spring Training with results going both ways.

The Guardians are known for having one of the lowest MLB payrolls. This trend continues even today. They will depend on a few talented players to carry their offense and their excellent pitcher development to anchor their defense. But most recently, the Guardians’ season suffered a hit as their starting pitcher suffered an injury.

Cleveland Guardians’ Triston McKenzie could miss up to 2 months with an injury

Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona has had an eventful 2023, to say the least. Someone stole his scooter, and he had a chaotic time with his annual speech. But he faces a new dilemma as his second-best starting pitcher, Triston McKenzie, suffered an injury. McKenzie will miss two to eight weeks of action with a shoulder strain, according to Talkin’ Baseball.

In a Tweet, Talkin’ Baseball said, “Triston McKenzie will be shut down from throwing for at least two weeks with a shoulder strain and could miss up to eight weeks, per @ZackMeisel”. This is a huge blow for the Guardians just days away from Opening Day. McKenzie was projected to be their second starter behind Shane Bieber. 

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The reactions to this news have been extremely negative as fans were distraught.

Others wondered how the Guardians would cope with the loss.

The Guardians will start the 2023 season with a weakened rotation and may struggle a little in terms of defense. It will be interesting to see how they deal with the injury and who they put into the pitching rotation. 

The Guardians have the longest-running active championship drought

Among all 30 MLB teams, the Cleveland Guardians have the longest-running active World Series Championship drought. They last won the World Series in 1948,74 seasons ago. That drought looks likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Their current roster is not good enough to win and is unlikely to improve drastically in the coming seasons without investment. 

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What do you think about the injury to the Cleveland Guardians’ pitcher Triston McKenzie? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.