THE APEX TIMES
Cleveland’s first roster move of the offseason clears the way for the right-handers to test the market, while the club also added a versatile infield option to its 40-man roster.
The Guardians have declined their halves of 2027 options for right-hander Shawn Armstrong (a mutual option) and right-hander Trevor Stephan (a club option), turning both pitchers into free agents, Cleveland announced Friday.
For Armstrong, Cleveland’s decision comes with an $8 million option value and a $1.5 million buyout. For Stephan, the club option was set at $7.25 million with a $1.25 million buyout.
The move follows a season that included both regular-season production and October usage for Armstrong. Across 41 appearances and 35 1/3 innings, he posted a 4.58 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 4.43 FIP, then tightened up in the postseason with a 1.04 ERA, six strikeouts and zero walks over 8 2/3 innings across seven appearances.
Armstrong’s 2026 was also shaped by a left calf strain suffered July 24, which threatened to keep him out for the rest of the season. He returned from the 60-day injured list in time to appear in the final week of the regular season, and then played a role in Cleveland’s ALCS pitching plan, including two starts as an opener in Games 4 and 6.
Cleveland signed Armstrong to the one-year deal with the mutual option last December, and the team has now ended its control of that contract. Armstrong, speaking after Game 6 of the ALCS, expressed a desire to return to Cleveland if the front office chooses to bring him back.
Stephan’s option decision reflects a different path in 2026. After signing a four-year extension in 2023 that included club options for 2027 and 2028, he has not pitched in the majors the past three seasons, including Tommy John surgery during spring training in 2024 and a return to game action in the minors in 2025.
In 2026, the Guardians kept Stephan in Columbus, where he recorded an 11.12 ERA in 22 2/3 innings over 22 appearances.
Alongside the pitching news, Cleveland selected infielder Milan Tolentino’s contract from Triple-A Columbus. With that addition, the Guardians’ 40-man roster now stands at 36.