Franco Aleman Undergoes Hernia Surgery, Faces Recovery Period

The Cleveland Guardians announced that right-hander Franco Aleman underwent a left hip inguinal hernia repair yesterday. The team has stated that his recovery will take four to six weeks, meaning Aleman will be sidelined for the remainder of spring training. Although Aleman, who turns 25 in June, may not be a household name, he is on Cleveland’s 40-man roster. The Guardians added him in November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. Selected in the tenth round of the 2021 draft, Aleman has shown versatility by working as both a starter and a reliever in 2022, albeit with a 6.31 earned run average. However, he has thrived in the bullpen over the past two seasons, posting a 2.78 ERA over 77 2/3 innings and striking out 36.2% of batters faced while maintaining an 8.6% walk rate.

​Having spent last year at Triple-A, Aleman is now on the 40-man roster, making a major league debut in 2025 a possibility. However, his injury will likely delay his debut in the initial weeks of the season, as the team will want to ensure he catches up to his peers after his layoff. Despite this setback, the Guardians remain hopeful about Aleman's potential contribution to the team once he completes his recovery and returns to full strength.