Yes, the Cleveland Guardians re-signed Shane Bieber.
And yes, they also brought in Luis L. Ortiz via trade.
Yet they still need to add an impact starter or two, mostly to fight uncertainty and shore up depth.
Bieber is supposed to return around mid-season, but that is definitely not set in stone as recovery from elbow surgery often takes a turn for the worse.
Gavin Williams is supposed to bounce back, Joey Cantillo is supposed to overcome command issues and Ben Lively is supposed to be useful as he was in 2024.
What if they don’t? What if they aren’t?
Cleveland needs to take some of the money they saved in the Andrés Giménez trade and reinvest it in starting pitching.
Bryan Murphy of MLB.com feels that Walker Buehler and the Guardians are a good fit for each other.
Will Walker Buehler's championship experience bring the Guardians over the hump? pic.twitter.com/grqo6xcxLG
— Guardians Nation (@GuardiansNation) December 19, 2024
“Buehler, in his return from a second Tommy John surgery, struggled throughout the 2024 regular season (5.38 ERA over 75 1/3 innings). But he rounded into form in October and especially during the World Series. He finished the Fall Classic with 10 scoreless innings spread across his last three appearances, capped by his flawless frame that secured the Dodgers’ first full-season championship since 1988. More importantly, Buehler’s stuff looked nasty in the postseason,” wrote Murphy.
There is a good chance Buehler took a few weeks to get going after his injury.
He used the regular season for that.
In his last few postseason starts, however, he started resembling the pitcher who has dominated the National League for the better part of the last six seasons.
You don’t accumulate a 3.27 ERA by coincidence.
You have to be very good and consistent.
Buehler is still just 30, he has experience, a flawless track record, and might be open to signing a one-year deal to prove himself.
Those situations make him a fit in Cleveland.
NEXT: Analyst Thinks Recent Trade Could Accelerate Top Prospect Debut
