Guardians Decline Options on Stephan and Armstrong as Offseason Reshuffle Begins

The Cleveland Guardians continued the first wave of their offseason reshuffle on Friday, declining club options on right-handed relievers Trevor Stephan and Shawn Armstrong and adding a prospect to the 40-man roster. Stephan's $7.25 million club option for 2027 was declined, sending him into free agency with a $1.25 million buyout. The former Yankees draft pick has not pitched in the majors since 2023 and closed out 2026 with a 10.44 ERA over 25 innings at Triple-A Columbus. Armstrong's option was a mutual one, with the Guardians declining the club portion to add him to the free-agent pool as well. The moves came a day after four Guardians players elected free agency on Thursday: catcher Austin Hedges, left-hander Foster Griffin, first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and first baseman Rhys Hoskins. Cleveland also added infielder Milan Tolentino to the 40-man roster on Friday; Tolentino had been set to become a minor league free agent. With free agency now open across baseball and a potential lockout looming on December 1, front offices are moving quickly through option decisions and roster bookkeeping. For Cleveland, the first two days of the offseason have already reshaped the edges of the roster — and more decisions are still to come before the winter truly begins.