Guardians begin 2B tryouts in Spring Training opener

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Spring Training¡¯s methodical pace won¡¯t make for any quick picks to fill the second base void in Cleveland.

As the first week in the desert drew to a close Saturday, one of the key questions the Guardians face -- make that, the question -- remains how to move forward from three-time Gold Glover Andr¨¦s Gim¨¦nez. The former All-Star, one of the best defensive infielders in baseball, was dealt to the Blue Jays in December.

Guardians skipper Stephen Vogt said Saturday that ¡°four or five guys¡± are in the mix to take over at second, with plenty of reps to go around at a camp full of 66 players.

¡°The playing time is gonna be tough to navigate, but at the same time this is what we do,¡± Vogt said. ¡°We get creative with things.¡±

Gabriel Arias, entering his fourth year with the club, got the starting call at second Saturday in the Guardians' 6-3 loss to the Reds, their Goodyear Ballpark mates. He lined a 2-2 slider to center in his first at-bat. Milan Tolentino replaced Arias in the fifth and delivered a triple in the ninth.

With Saturday marking the first of 32 Spring Training games, look for the second base slot on the daily scorecard to rotate around.

¡°The best way to go about it is just have everyone pull for each other,¡± said Daniel Schneemann, who¡¯s among those in the rotation. ¡°I don¡¯t even worry about who¡¯s competing against who. You¡¯re cheering for your team. I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s really worried about who¡¯s ahead of who or anything like that.¡±

Schneemann knows a thing or two about being open to versatility. In his first season in the Majors in 2024, the 28-year-old played six different positions, mostly in the outfield and at shortstop, but with three starts at second.

Angel Mart¨ªnez is another who played mostly in the outfield as a rookie in 2024, but he did tally 180 starts at second base in five Minor League seasons. The 23-year-old mostly batted second in the lineup last year, hitting .232 in 43 big league games.

Arias, who turns 25 at camp on Thursday, has eight starts at second base in the Majors. He started in rookie ball eight years ago as a 17-year-old and made his MLB debut in 2022.

A candidate yet to reach the Majors, Juan Brito, 23, has made 275 starts at second base in the Minors. Brito is the No. 8 Guardians prospect according to MLB Pipeline.

¡°It just comes down to how naturally the position comes to me,¡± Brito said through team interpreter Augustin Rivero. ¡°I feel very natural, very smooth playing second.¡±

Tyler Freeman, Kahlil Watson and Chase DeLauter, the Guardians¡¯ 2022 first-round pick, are also in the second base conversation in Goodyear.

Any of the candidates can also back up Brayan Rocchio at shortstop. Batting leadoff Saturday, Rocchio hit the first pitch Cleveland saw for a double, then lined a single in his next trip to the plate. He hit another double in the fifth.

Adding to the aggressive approach at the plate in the 2025 opener, Lane Thomas, batting cleanup, launched a first-pitch 420-foot home run in the first inning that went 111 mph off his bat.

Saturday¡¯s opener also saw right-hander Triston McKenzie start on the bump for the Guards.

The 27-year-old was out to turn the page from a disappointing second half in 2024. He posted a 3.23 ERA across his first nine starts but struggled over his final seven and ended the campaign in Triple-A Columbus.

¡°I came into Spring Training [last year] a little stagnant, a little behind the eight-ball in terms of just how I was feeling off the mound, and I really just wanted to get ahead of that [this year],¡± McKenzie said after his Saturday start. ¡°I was throwing a little bit more in my bullpens, getting a little bit closer to game speed before I stepped foot on the mound out here.¡±

McKenzie tossed two innings with one strikeout. His only hit allowed came by way of Reds All-Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz, who took him deep for the first of his two homers -- one from each side of the plate.

¡°I felt good,¡± McKenzie said. ¡°Got some quick outs, gave up the home run to Elly, but overall I felt good.¡±

Righty Ben Lively will throw Sunday for the Guardians, who will be in Goodyear again, this time as home team as the Angels visit for a 3:05 p.m. ET first pitch (watch FREE on MLB.TV).