Travis Bazzana makes MLB debut, offers Guardians glimpse of future

Apr 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Parker Messick (77) delivers a pitch in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

Apr 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) throws to first base in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

Apr 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Jonny DeLuca (21) makes a catch in the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

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Cleveland Guardians home series vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Apr 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Steven Matz (32) delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

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Cleveland Guardians home series vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Apr 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Steven Matz (32) delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

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Cleveland Guardians home series vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Apr 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Parker Messick (77) delivers a pitch in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

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Cleveland Guardians home series vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Apr 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) throws to first base in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

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Cleveland Guardians home series vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Apr 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Jonny DeLuca (21) makes a catch in the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

A few players in the major league clubhouse had already been given a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes work that fueled the hype.

Kwan, who also went to Oregon State, saw it during a hitting session visit back at his old school around 2022. Bazzana was a freshman at the time and walked up to Kwan, who was going through hitting drills with Trevor Larnach.

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 28: Travis Bazzana #37 of the Cleveland Guardians takes the field prior to his Major League debut against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field on April 28, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

"I remember one of the days, he came up to me and Trevor and was like, 'Hey do you mind (if) I just kind of watch you guys and just hang out and see and learn something?'" Kwan said of a younger Bazzana. "And me and Trevor were like, 'Yeah, whatever. We don't care, honestly.' We had probably an hour-and-a-half session and at the end of it, Travis comes up to us and he asks a bunch of questions, very insightful and detailed questions about stuff from our session.

"And I mean right there off the bat, it's like OK, he understands the game really well. He's noticing little cues that we have, but as a freshman, 18 years old, that was just so mature for me."

Bazzana spent the next few years at Oregon State building the profile of a No. 1 overall pick brick by brick. He dreamed of reaching the major leagues around the time he was 4 or 5 years old. At 15, he knew he might have a chance to really make it a reality.

"I've always wanted the most for myself growing up, and now," Bazzana said before his debut. "It's a beautiful part of it is like, I've worked really hard to be in a place where there's expectations and pressure."

Apr 28, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A general view of the scoreboard featuring Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (not pictured) after a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

After being drafted, he spent a little more than 18 months working toward the phone call that he was ready for the major leagues, and that he had done enough to earn the right to be called a major leaguer. Ramirez saw that Bazzana had reached that point this spring, and the star third baseman ended up providing the rookie with one of the landmark moments of his career.

"One of my favorite days of spring training was a batting practice where we were in the same group. I kind of looked forward to those days," Bazzana said of Ramirez. "I felt like my swings got better watching how he was working and that was really cool for me.

"And then he kind of said something, he said, 'Bazzana, you look ready. You're ready.' And I was like, 'That's cool.' … To have him say that, I was like, yeah, that's going to make me comfortable out here today."

Apr 28, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) reacts after taking ball four in the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

Travis Bazzana debut, stats

Bazzana made his MLB debut April 28 in the Guardians' 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. He went 0-2 but did draw two walks.

He also seemingly walked to the plate in a total dream scenario with the two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the tying run on second base. But after working it to a 2-0 count, the Rays intentionally walked him.

"I live for those situations and I feel like I've had a lot of success in the last two years in the eighth, ninth inning, tied ballgames, one-run ballgames, coming up big," Bazzana said.

But the Rays decided they'd rather pitch to George Valera than Bazzana, which in a way was a major compliment to the rookie second baseman.

The more impressive performance might have been reserved for Bazzana's family and friends, many of whom traveled from Australia — more than 20-plus hours of travel time — and made it to Cleveland in time for the big moment. He had about 15 to 20 family members, friends and mentors at Progressive Field. And many of them were not happy the Rays decided to walk Bazzana in the ninth.

But, regardless, April 28 was a dream scenario for the Bazzana clan. For the Guardians, it was day one of what they hope is their future at second base for at least the next half-decade.

Apr 28, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) runs on the field before a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

And for Bazzana, it was a monumental milestone that hadn't sunk in yet when he met with reporters after the game.

"After the first [at-bat], obviously it didn't go how I wanted, but that was kind of an exhale moment," Bazzana said. "Now we just go into the flow of the game. But yeah, I'm excited to kind of get into the swing of a big league season. It's every day. It's a grind. I'm excited to build relationships and get into this."

Bazzana said this spring he welcomed all the pressure and expectations that go with being a No. 1 overall pick, and a top prospect, and then a major league player.

He's waited for the moment. He's wanted the moment. And now it's here.

Ryan Lewis covers the Cleveland Guardians for the Akron Beacon Journal. He can be reached at rlewis1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Travis Bazzana savors Guardians debut, excited for journey ahead