Guardians place rookie starting pitcher on 15-day injured list

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Logan Allen’s rookie season is over after the Guardians placed the left-hander on the 15-day injured list Saturday.

Allen, 25, debuted on April 25 against the Marlins and made 23 starts for Cleveland, posting a 7-8 record and a 3.81 ERA with 119 strikeouts over 125 1/3 innings.

The Guardians recalled right-hander Michael Kelly from Triple-A Columbus to take Allen’s spot on the active roster.

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Allen was originally selected by Cleveland in the second round (56th overall) of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Florida International. He entered the season as Cleveland’s No. 8 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline.

Allen posted a 2-5 record with a 3.83 ERA in 10 starts against the American League Central Division. He lost four of his last five decisions against the division, despite allowing three runs or fewer in seven of those outings against the division. Allen worked six or more innings in four straight AL Central starts prior to last week’s outing against the Royals.

Manager Terry Francona talked to Allen as well as Tanner Bibee, whose season also ended when Cleveland placed him on the injured list earlier this week. Francona said he expressed appreciation to both Allen and Bibee as well as fellow rookie Gavin Williams for the way the they handled themselves after being thrust into a demanding position considering all the injuries suffered by the Guardians’ veteran starters.

“We’ve told all the young guys as we’ve talked to ‘em that we are so proud of them,” Francona said. “You’d love to be able to bring a young kid up and kind of baby him along. These guys got fed right into the fire.”

Francona recalled telling Allen and Bibee before a series back in Boston that he wanted to see them not back down and to learn fast.

“The other day I said, ‘You did a good job of learning fast,’ and (Allen) laughed,” Francona said. “They’re really good kids.”

Allen started his MLB career with eight straight starts where he allowed three runs or fewer, becoming the third Cleveland pitcher to do so, joining Aaron Civale and Cliff Lee. He joined Herb Score (1955) as the only two pitchers in franchise history with eight or more strikeouts in their first two career starts

Allen became the third pitcher in Cleveland history to throw at least six innings and strike out eight batters while allowing one run or fewer in his major league debut, joining Triston McKenzie and Luis Tiant. And he is one of nine Cleveland rookie pitchers to top 100 strikeouts in their first 19 career starts. His 119 strikeouts are the second-most by a Cleveland left-hander, behind Score (170), in a single rookie season.

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