Stephan was one of the Guardians' most-trusted relievers in 2022 and 2023, but he's struggled during his rehab assignment while coming back from his March 2024 UCL surgery, posting an 11.81 ERA over 10.2 innings across stops with three affiliates. He can still make an impact with the big club later this season, but the Guardians will need Stephan to hone his command at Triple-A before giving him another look in the majors.

Stephan is in the midst of his second rehab assignment after the Guardians opted to extend his stay in the minors when his initial 30-day window expired shortly before the All-Star break. During the initial assignment, Stephan made eight appearances across stops with three affiliates and logged a 5.40 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 8.1 innings. Stephan has made two appearances for Columbus during his second assignment, with Friday's outing marking his first since the All-Star break. The right-hander will likely need to sharpen his command and pitch on consecutive days at Triple-A before the Guardians bring him back from the 60-day injured list.