Guardian lists left-handed Doug Nikhazy As their possible starter, this is the second game tomorrow against the Red Sox. Cleveland has added him to their 40-man squad in the offseason. In a two-player game, the team can carry an extra player on the active roster, so they don't need to take any corresponding action.
This will be Nikhazy's major league debut. Cleveland selected Ole Miss products in the second round of 2021. 6'0″ Southpaw overall scored solid numbers in all four minor league seasons. He had an average run of 3.87 in 346 1/3 professional innings. Nikhazy stood out in the 2.98 ERA at 123 2/3 frames, split between the first two minor league levels last year. He played over a quarter of his opponents while walking at a speed of just over 10.8% of the clips.
During the offseason, Baseball America ranked 16th in the Cleveland system. BA wrote that he features a four-line mixture with his slider and swap titles as titles. He doesn't work hard, and his fastball averages 90.9 miles per hour this season. Although Nikhazy's edge command means he is not a tilt, minors usually miss the bat.
Nikhazy has worked 18 1/3 innings this year in four games in Triple-A Columbus. He allowed nine runs, seven strikeouts and seven walks. Tomorrow's start might be a one-off on the extra roster, but his solid minor league track record means he can move up and down the spin depth throughout the season.
