DETROIT -- Lane Thomas' 2025 season didn’t start off the way he would have hoped after he suffered a right wrist bone bruise in the Guardians’ 10th game. With that issue behind him, he and Cleveland are looking forward to the impact he could make on its lineup going forward.
The Guardians activated Thomas off the 10-day IL prior to Thursday’s game against the Tigers, and in a corresponding move, they placed outfielder Will Brennan (left forearm inflammation) on the 10-day IL. Thomas is in the lineup for the series opener, hitting second and playing center field.
“It’s always tough,” Thomas said of sustaining the injury when he did. “You put all this work in in the offseason [only] to then first couple weeks of the season deal with something like that. But there’s a lot of season left. Hopefully, get back and salvage a little bit.”
Thomas went on the IL on April 22 with a right wrist bone bruise. He sustained the injury in Cleveland’s home opener on April 8, on a hit-by-pitch in the fifth inning. The 29-year-old rested for a week before returning to action on April 15 and playing in five games, but he reaggravated the injury on April 22 against the Pirates, prompting his move to the IL.
Thomas said his wrist is doing well and that the pain went away within a week or two after he went on the IL. The biggest key during the IL stint, and part of why he was down the time he was, was getting his strength back.
Thomas got off to a slow start this season (7-for-45, .366 OPS in 13 games), but his return is a welcome sight for a Guardians lineup that entered Thursday with a .689 OPS this season (22nd in the Majors) and a 97 wRC+ (tied for 17th).
Guardians No. 2 hitters have a collective .187/.250/.294 slash line this season, and Cleveland also has a .651 OPS against lefties (19th in the Majors entering Thursday). Thomas -- who was Cleveland’s Opening Day center fielder and hit third against the Royals that day -- has a career .298/.361/.505 slash line vs. southpaws.
“He was hitting [second] right before the injury, and he hit there a lot for us last year,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “Lane’s a big part of our team, a big part of our offense. Not having that for the last month, it's taken a hit. Just getting Lane back in the lineup, it's going to really help this lineup keep getting longer.”
Vogt said Thomas will also get some time in right field, a position the Guardians have struggled to get production from so far this season. Their right fielders have slashed just .172/.244/.271 collectively.
Thomas made three starts in right during his rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus over the past week-plus, compared to one in center and three at DH. It’s not unfamiliar territory, as Thomas has played right field in the Majors more than he has any other position (2,461 1/3 innings), with center ranking second (1,324 innings entering Thursday).
“I’ve done that my whole career,” Thomas said of playing both spots. “I think the corners are tougher reads, to be honest. So I think that that was different for the first few games [with Columbus], because I hadn’t played there in a little bit. I picked it up pretty quick.”
Thomas made his return from the injured list vs. the team that he achieved postseason glory against last fall. His go-ahead grand slam in the fifth inning of Game 5 of the ALDS last season helped send the Guardians to the ALCS. Comerica Park is also where he made his team debut on July 30 last year, after Cleveland acquired him from the Nationals on July 29.
“I didn’t even realize that, and everybody was like, ‘That's where you met us last year,’” Thomas said. “But definitely [some deja vu] after it was mentioned, for sure. Hopefully, we can get back to that point where we were when I came last time.”
The Guardians recalled Brennan from Triple-A Columbus on May 12, and he went 1-for-11 over six games. Vogt noted Brennan has been dealing with the forearm issue and other ailments off and on this season. Vogt said Brennan “really felt” the forearm issue on throws from right field to home plate on Friday against the Reds and on Wednesday vs. the Twins during the resumption of Monday’s suspended game.
“He wants to play, but this is something that he can't play through,” Vogt said. “We’ve got to address it. We're going to get everything looked at and figured out.”