The Cleveland Guardians’ offense is still a work in progress, so to speak. They haven’t done much to help the team in that regard, and they will probably hope that the young studs will turn out to be as good as anticipated right out of the gate.
More than that, they will continue to rely heavily on all the talent they have on the mound. And, after watching the team thrive with a six-man rotation in the final stretch of last season, manager Stephen Vogt will have a good problem in his hands in 2026.
With that in mind, team analyst Paul Hoynes shared his picks for the potential five-man rotation for next season.
Unfortunately, Parker Messick had to be the odd man out:
“A lot can happen between now and March 26 when the season opens. But from the outside looking in, I’ll say the rotation will be Bibee, Williams, Cecconi, Allen and Cantillo with Messick a phone call away at Triple-A Columbus,” Hoynes wrote.
Of course, that makes sense to a degree. Messick is the least experienced of the bunch, so he still has to earn his stripes with some more time in the minors.
Nevertheless, he looked like a superstar in the making when given a chance last season, and getting him on the roster wouldn’t be the craziest idea for Vogt and company. He was poised, in command, and looked like a veteran out there.
Still, there are only so many roster spots to fill, and it’s highly unlikely that the Guardians will roll with a six-man rotation to start the season.
That’s not to say that he won’t have plenty of opportunities, and it wouldn’t be surprising to watch him earn his spot in the rotation at one point in the campaign.
NEXT: Pedro Avila Sends 2 Word Message After Joining Guardians
