Plesac cleared waivers Thursday and was sent outright to Triple-A Salt Lake.
The Angels designated Plesac for assignment Monday, but the 29-year-old righty will remain with the organization after passing through waivers. He has turned in a 4.66 ERA and 1.41 WHIP through his first two Triple-A starts, and some improvement will likely be necessary before he gets another opportunity in the majors.
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Angels' Zach Plesac: DFA'd by Angels
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Plesac was designated for assignment by the Angels on Monday.
After signing a one-year contract with the Angels in December, he was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on March 9. He started in two games with Salt Lake, giving up five runs on six hits and seven walks while striking out nine batters over 9.2 innings, and he took the loss in both contests.
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Angels' Zach Plesac: Optioned to Triple-A
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The Angels optioned Plesac to Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
Plesac struggled last season with a 7.59 ERA through 21.1 MLB innings and a 6.08 ERA across 19 Triple-A appearances (18 starts), and he got off to a similarly slow start this spring by allowing four earned runs in 6.1 frames. Until Plesac is able to find success in the minors, it's unlikely he gets the call to join the Halos' rotation in 2024.
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Angels' Zach Plesac: Sporting reworked arsenal
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Plesac spent time at Driveline in the offseason and has replaced his four-seam fastball with a two-seamer while transforming his slider into "more of a sweeper," Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Plesac is trying to get his once-promising career back on track following an awful 2023 campaign during which he posted a 7.59 ERA and 1.97 WHIP over five big-league starts and a 6.08 ERA and 1.49 WHIP over 94.2 frames at Triple-A. The Angels signed the right-hander to a one-year contract in late December with the hope that he can regain the form that helped him record a much more useful 3.32 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across 2019 and 2020 over his first 29 major-league starts. Plesac could insert himself into the conversation for a spot at the back of the team's rotation with a strong spring, though with Los Angeles moving back to a five-man starting staff and multiple arms vying for one of those spots, Plesac is more likely to begin the regular season in the bullpen or at Triple-A.
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Angels' Zach Plesac: Reaches deal with Angels
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Plesac signed a contract with the Angels on Saturday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Plesac showed some promise with the Guardians from 2019-20, posting a 3.32 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 145:46 K:BB over 171 innings covering 29 starts. He regressed to a 4.49 ERA from 2021-22, though, and bottomed out in 2023 and collected a 7.59 ERA in five starts with Cleveland and 6.08 ERA at Triple-A Columbus. Plesac will turn 29 next month and would appear slated for long relief or perhaps a swingman role in Anaheim.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Goes unclaimed off waivers
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Plesac cleared waivers Sunday and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Columbus, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.
Despite Plesac's standing as a pitcher with parts of five seasons of MLB experience and solid ratios for his career (4.20 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 12.1 K-BB%), none of the majors' other 29 organizations were willing to assume the money remaining on his $2.95 million contract for 2023. The right-hander had already taken a slight step backward from a performance standpoint over the previous two seasons before nosediving even further in 2023, as he submitted a 7.59 ERA over his first five starts before Cleveland optioned him to the minors in May. Now off the 40-man roster entirely, Plesac will face an uphill battle to make it back to the big leagues unless the Guardians lose multiple starters to injury.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Removed from 40-man roster
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Cleveland designated Plesac for assignment Sunday, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Plesac was removed from the 40-man roster to make room for Triston McKenzie (shoulder), who was reinstated from the 60-day injured list to make his season debut Sunday against Minnesota. Once a mainstay in the rotation for Cleveland, Plesac struggled with a 7.59 ERA in his five starts with the Guardians before he was optioned to Triple-A Columbus early in May. Because of his previous success in the majors, it won't be a surprise if the right-hander draws interest from another organization via trade or a waiver claim, but he's a reclamation project at this stage of his career.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Optioned to Triple-A
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Plesac was optioned to Triple-A Columbus by the Guardians on Thursday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
Plesac had been one of the longest-tenured members of the Guardians' rotation but has lost his spot after posting a 7.59 ERA in five starts. Peyton Battenfield will start in Plesac's spot Friday against the Twins with Logan Allen and Tanner Bibee remaining in the rotation, as well.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Pulled after 3.1 innings
Rotowire
Plesac did not factor into the decision Saturday, allowing five runs on eight hits and one walk over 3.1 innings against the Red Sox. He struck out one.
Plesac got hit around again Saturday, giving up at least seven hits for the fourth time in five starts while being unable to make it through the fourth frame. Rafael Devers took him yard in the first, setting the tone for what would become a dreadful outing, with a three-run homer that plated Alex Verdugo and Masataka Yoshida. Plesac ran into trouble again in the fourth, giving up a pair of doubles to Raimel Tapia and Enmanuel Valdez, who both ended up scoring on singles by Christian Arroyo and Connor Wong. Through 21.1 innings, Plesac owns a 7.59 ERA to go along with an abysmal 5.91 K/9 and remains a firm stay away in most formats.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Stuck with loss in nightcap
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Plesac (1-1) took the loss Saturday as the Guardians were downed 3-2 by the Marlins in the second game of a doubleheader, giving up three runs on 10 hits and two walks over five-plus innings. He struck out five.
The right-hander was locked in a 1-1 pitchers duel with Braxton Garrett until he hit the wall in the sixth inning, allowing three straight hits to begin the frame and watching two of them eventually come around to score. Plesac exited after 90 pitches (65 strikes), but pitching wasn't the reason Cleveland got swept Saturday -- the team's offense managed only three runs in 18 innings. While Plesac's 6.50 ERA and 13:4 K:BB through 18 innings to begin the season are discouraging, there is a thin silver lining as he's served up only two homers, after coming into 2023 with a career 1.39 HR/9. He'll look to continue keeping the ball in the park -- but with better results -- in his next start, which is likely to come next weekend in Boston.
Plesac and the Guardians won't play Friday against the Marlins after the game was postponed due to inclement weather in Cleveland.
The game will be made up as part of a traditional doubleheader Saturday, with the first contest beginning at 3:10 p.m. EDT. Plesac will start the nightcap while Shane Bieber takes the hill for the early tilt.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Earns win after five strong innings
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Plesac (1-0) earned the win Saturday, allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits and zero walks over five innings during a 6-4 victory over the Nationals. He struck out one.
Plesac surrendered three runs in the first, but only one was charged as an earned run due to a throwing error from Jose Ramirez. The right-hander got some run support, and despite giving up a go-ahead, RBI double from Keibert Ruiz in the fourth, Plesac was in line for the win after he was taken out thanks to a two-run homer by Ramirez in the fifth. After a shaky first start, Plesac has allowed four earned runs over his past two outings (12 innings) while posting a solid 7:1 K:BB during those contests.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Fans six in no-decision
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Plesac did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing two runs on five hits with one walk over seven innings in a 7-6 win over the Mariners.
After struggling in his season debut, Plesac began his second start by giving up a two-run homer to Cal Raleigh in the first inning. However, the right-hander shut down the Mariners for the rest of his outing before exiting in the eighth. The Guardians completed a thrilling comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning, culminating in a walkoff fielder's choice from Josh Bell in the 12th. With this performance, Plesac drastically improved his numbers and currently holds a 9.00 ERA and 1.75 WHIP with seven strikeouts through eight innings. The 28-year-old is tentatively set to return to the mound next weekend in the upcoming series against the Nationals.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Chased in second inning
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Plesac allowed six runs on seven hits and a walk in one inning during Monday's win over Oakland. He struck out one and did not factor in the decision.
Plesac gave up one run in the first before unraveling in the second. He gave up five runs without recording an out, capped off by Jace Peterson's three-run shot that bounced him from the game. Plesac threw 35 of 53 shots for strikes and forced seven whiffs. He's lined up for a home start against the Mariners this weekend.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Avoids arbitration with Guardians
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Plesac signed a one-year, $2.95 million contract with the Guardians on Friday to avoid arbitration, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
It's a nice salary bump for Plesac, who was in his first year of arbitration eligibility. The right-hander had an up-and-down 2022 campaign, finishing with a 4.31 ERA and 100:38 K:BB across 131.2 frames. For fantasy purposes, Plesac is likely to be a streaming option again in 2023.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Takes loss in return
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Plesac (3-12) gave up one earned run on seven hits and a walk while striking out one over 3.2 innings to take the loss in a 7-1 defeat to the Royals on Saturday.
Plesac allowed three straight two-out doubles in the top of the fourth, which gave the Royals all the run production they needed to hand Plesac his 12th loss of the season. Only one of the four runs that Plesac allowed were earned due to a throwing error by third baseman Gabriel Arias. It was Plesac's first start since August 28th when he fractured his pitching hand after punching the mound in frustration. The appearance is best viewed as a tune-up start before the Guardians finalize their postseason rotation. The 27-year-old right-hander finishes the regular season with an ERA of 4.34.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Activated prior to start
Rotowire
Plesac (hand) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list ahead of Saturday's game against the Royals, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
Plesac was initially slated to start Friday against Kansas City but was ultimately pushed back to Saturday. However, he'll officially have at least one more chance to pitch for the Guardians ahead of the playoffs. The right-hander will likely take on a bullpen role for Cleveland once the postseason begins.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Start pushed back to Saturday
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Plesac (hand) will now start Saturday's game against the Royals, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
The right-hander was initially slated to return from the injured list to start Friday's matchup against Kansas City, but he'll be pushed back a day since Aaron Civale will now take the mound Friday. The altered rotation plans also mean that Civale lines up to start Wednesday's regular-season finale, while Saturday's start will likely be Plesac's last of the regular season. It's possible that Plesac moves to a bullpen role during the playoffs.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Confirmed for Friday's start
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Plesac (hand) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Friday against the Royals, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.
Plesac is throwing a bullpen session Tuesday in advance of the start. He struck out five while allowing two hits and zero walks over five scoreless innings in his lone rehab start. Plesac could possibly start the final game of the season Oct. 5 as well, which is also at home against the Royals.
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Guardians' Zach Plesac: Throws sim game
Rotowire
Plesac (hand) threw 45 pitches in a simulated game Tuesday, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
Plesac had no apparent setbacks after the sim game, so he's taken another step forward in his recovery. It's unclear what his next step will be, and it's also uncertain if he'll have enough time to get stretched out before the end of the regular season. With Cody Morris pitching fairly well in Plesac's absence, there may not be a spot in the rotation for the 27-year-old right-hander once he can return.
