Overview
- Lively, 33, had Tommy John surgery with a flexor tendon repair in June 2025 and is rehabbing at the Guardians’ Arizona complex, where he has been assigned a locker.
- The two-year minor-league structure aligns with a typical 12–16 month recovery, allowing a possible midseason 2026 return while acknowledging he could miss the year.
- He revived his value in Cleveland with 151 innings of 3.81 ERA in 2024 and a 3.22 ERA over nine 2025 starts before the injury, though underlying metrics were less favorable.
- A 2013 Reds fourth-round pick, Lively previously pitched for the Phillies and Royals, excelled with the KBO’s Samsung Lions, returned stateside with the Reds, then joined Cleveland.
- Lively chose to remain with the Guardians citing trust in the club’s medical staff and culture, and he is represented by Meister Sports Management.