The Cleveland Guardians will have at least two former ECU baseball stars on its opening-day roster in 2026.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports Shawn Armstrong has signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract to join the team. He’ll join former ECU star Gavin Williams in the pitching rotation as a reliever. He started two games last season for the Texas Rangers.
Right-handed reliever Shawn Armstrong and the Cleveland Guardians are in agreement on a one-year, $5.5 million contract that includes a mutual option, sources tell ESPN. Armstrong, 35, was one of the most effective RP in MLB this year, with batters hitting .157 over 74 innings.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 18, 2025
Armstrong had one of his best seasons in the majors last season, with a 4-3 record, nine saves and a 2.31 ERA in 74 innings pitched. He struck out 74 and had a 0.81 WHIP.
Passan reports the contract includes a mutual option, meaning he could be there for more than one season. It’s his second stint with the Guardians. He was with the then-Cleveland Indians from 2015-17 and pitched 43.1 innings. He pitched 24.2 innings for Cleveland in 2017, striking out 20 with a 4.38 ERA.
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