Triston McKenzie, who was designated for assignment by the Guardians a week ago, has passed through waivers unclaimed. He had the right to elect free agency but has accepted his outright assignment to Triple-A Columbus. Tim Stebbins of MLB.com was among those to pass along the news.
Cleveland designated McKenzie for assignment last week. That the lanky right-hander cleared waivers points to how far his stock has fallen as he’s battled injuries over the past couple seasons. McKenzie is a former top prospect who seemed to break out as a high-end starter in 2022. He posted a 2.96 ERA with nearly a strikeout per inning over 31 appearances three years ago. He seemed to be a mid-rotation arm at the very least with a chance to develop into a #1 or #2 starter.
More to come.