CLEVELAND, Ohio — Right field continues to be a problem for the Guardians.

Lane Thomas, who was scheduled to see time in right field since coming off the injured list after recovering from a bruised right wrist, was out of the lineup Wednesday for the second straight game because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

Manager Stephen Vogt said Thomas has a “history” with plantar fasciitis and was being “looked at” on Wednesday after a “flare up.”

Nolan Jones and Jhonkensy Noel have seen the most playing time in right field. They have failed to make an imprint.

Jones is hitting .175 (22 for 126) with two homers, 10 RBI. He struck out in 33% (41 for 126) his at-bats, while drawing just 15 walks.

Noel, who started Wednesday against the Dodgers and lefty Clayton Kershaw, is hitting .146 (13 for 89) with two homers and nine RBI. He’s struck out in 33% (29 for 89) of his at-bats as well.

Guardians right fielders have the lowest batting average in the AL at .162. They are last in hits with 29, OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) at .419, 14th in walks with 14 and tied for 11th in homers with four.

Will Brennan arrived recently from Triple-A Columbus, but he’s on the IL with a strained left forearm after going 1 for 11. Angel Martinez and Daniel Schneemann have also started games in right field.

The Guardians have two right field prospects at Columbus. C.J. Kayfus is hitting .326 (28 for 84) with four homers and 13 RBI. He’s a natural first baseman, but he’s also been playing left and right field this year at Columbus and Double-A Akron.

DeLauter, Cleveland’s first-round pick in 2022, just arrived at Columbus after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia in March. He’s hitting .300 (3 for 10) with one homer.

Slade Cecconi will start

Slade Cecconi, scratched from Wednesday’s start because of a sore right groin, will start Saturday against the Angels at Progressive Field after throwing a bullpen session on Wednesday. Vogt said he’ll start Luis Ortiz on Friday, Cecconi on Saturday and Gavin Williams on Sunday.

Ortiz is scheduled to face Jose Severino on Friday at 7:10 p.m.

New face, new number

The Guardians recalled right-hander Andrew Walters from Columbus before Wednesday’s game to replace right-hander Nic Enright. Walters had a chance to make the bullpen out of spring training, but was slowed by a right shoulder injury.

Walters experienced arm problems again in Columbus and spent time on the injured list.

“I’m feeling great right now,” said Walters. “I think I’m at the top of my game right now. I figured out a way to get better, and I’m here.”

Walters in 12 appearances at Columbus posted a 1.50 ERA (two runs in 12 innings) with 23 strikeouts and nine walks. The opposition hit .125 against him.

Last season Walters made nine appearances down the stretch and four in the postseason for the Guardians.

Not only did Walters bring a healthy arm to Cleveland, he brought a new number. Walters, who wore 63 in spring training, has switched to 91.

He’s wearing it in honor of his uncle Matt, who played football at the University of Miami.

“It’s one of my uncle’s numbers from football and I kind of like the way it looks on the back of my jersey,” said Walters, a second-round pick out of Miami by Cleveland in 2023.

Matt Walters played for the Hurricanes from 1999 to 2002. He played against Ohio State in the 2002 BCS National Championship game. OSU won the national title as Walters recorded seven tackles. He was a fifth-round pick by the Jets in 2003.

Finally

The Guardians considered several pitchers to make Wednesday’s start in place of the injured Cecconi, but in Vogt’s words, “We always kept coming back to Kolby Allard.” Allard, in his first start of the season, went four innings, allowing two runs on two hits.