The Guardians announced yesterday that they re-signed right-handed pitcher Zak Kent to a minor league deal. Kent had been released a couple of weeks ago after being designated for assignment on June 29 to make room for Matthew Boyd.
Kent hasn’t pitched in Triple-A since April 14 due to a strain in his throwing elbow, which has placed him on the minor league injured list. This injury meant he couldn’t be placed on outright waivers, so the Guardians had to either trade or release him. With no trade interest due to the injury, Cleveland released him. Now, after a short period on the market, Kent returns to the organization without taking up a spot on the 40-man roster.
The 26-year-old is aiming to make his MLB debut. Drafted by the Rangers in the ninth round of the 2019 draft, Kent reached Triple-A by the end of the 2022 season and earned a spot on Texas’ 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. However, injuries have limited his playing time, with only 34 innings over 10 Triple-A starts last year and just three appearances this season.
Cleveland acquired Kent on Opening Day in exchange for international signing bonus space. Despite his elbow issues, Kent remains a valuable depth option for the Guardians, boasting a 3.99 ERA and an impressive 26.7% strikeout rate over parts of five minor league seasons.
