After a long wait, it’s finally time to see Franco Aleman on a mound in Cleveland. The 26 year-old, 6-foot-6 specimen of a reliever finally gets the call.
BBWA writer Francys Romero reports the call has been made on Twitter:
I am not sure who @MayDayTimes is, but they had it first:
The big righty reliever had gone through ups and downs in Columbus, primarily with location, but 2026 has seen him completely dominate Triple-A. So where does Aleman fit? That answer is easy: wherever he’s needed. The Guardians bullpen, outside of Erik Sabrowski and recently Matt Festa and Cade Smith, has been abysmal. Colin Holderman has been better lately but isn’t used in big spots. Peyton Pallette can’t find the zone (16.4% BB%), Connor Brogdon has been rough and is coming off an outing where he gave up back to back home runs to Bobby Witt and Vinnie Pasquantino, and Tim Herrin has a horseshoe you know where as he’s running a -4.1% K-BB% but hasn’t allowed an earned run.
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So yes, Aleman can and will slide in wherever he’s needed, the question just becomes can he throw enough strikes? This season says yes, but the lurking struggles of 2025 and beyond still loom. Aleman is throwing in the zone a career high 53.9% of the time, a mark 9% higher than 2024 and 2025 combined in Columbus, but the stuff is better. Aleman is generating better spin on his fastball and slider, his only two offerings thus far, and nobody in Triple-A has been able to hit either of them.
Aleman has a bull whip of a release, making for an incredibly uncomfortable at-bat for right-handed hitters. Aleman torments them and fares far better on a rate basis than he does against lefties. Aleman is able to utilize his fastball to cuff righties so that his slider can dive away from them and induce lots of swing and miss. From TJStats, Aleman is running a sub .200 xwOBA against RHH with a preposterous 42.3% strikeout rate.
You’ll notice the walk rate spike against lefties. Aleman being a two pitch pitcher with one being a slider turns him almost into a one pitch guy which lends to longer at-bats and more walks as the chase doesn’t follow. Definitely something to monitor as he makes the leap.
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Aleman is not a sure thing nor a savior for the bullpen, but he is a massive step in the right direction. Cleveland shopped in the bargain bin all offseason and are feeling some regrets of their cheapness. Aleman will hopefully be the first of a few arms on the way to Cleveland to aid the back end in their quest to stay Division Champs.
