Guardians declined RHP Trevor Stephan’s $7.25 million club option for 2027.
The 30-year-old hurler will instead receive a $1.25 million buyout and will hit the free agent market. Stephan hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since the 2023 season. He missed the entire 2024 campaign while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He made 22 ghastly appearances at Triple-A Columbus in 2026, posting an 11.12 ERA, 2.07 WHIP and a 23/18 K/BB ratio over 22 2/3 innings. He’ll make for an interesting low-risk flier on what will probably be a minor league contract for someone this offseason.