The starting rotation for the Cleveland Guardians had a strong year.
However, it ultimately contributed to the team’s demise in the playoffs.
The unit collectively failed to consistently get deep into games, leaving the team’s bullpen overexposed and overleveraged against the New York Yankees in the ALCS.
Fortifying the rotation to take some pressure off the bullpen was a key area of focus this offseason.
The team has made a pair of crafty moves in that department by re-signing former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber to a two-year deal and acquiring an enticing 25-year-old righty from the Pittsburgh Pirates in Luis Ortiz.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently released an article predicting each MLB team’s starting rotation for Opening Day, and he believes the Guardians will start the year with Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Ben Lively, Luis Ortiz, and Triston McKenzie, at least until Bieber is ready to go.
Bibee and Lively anchored the team’s 2024 rotation, combining 60 starts and a 3.47 and 3.81 ERA, respectively, so it’s a no-brainer that the team will rely on them to do the same in 2025.
The other three members of the rotation can potentially make this unit great in 2025. Williams has a lot of upside at 25 years old, and Ortiz blossomed with a 3.32 ERA throughout 135.2 innings for Pittsburgh last year.
Williams made 16 starts last season with a 4.86 ERA after missing most of the first half with an injury, and if he can get back to the production he had as a rookie, he could ascend to ace status for this rotation.
McKenzie is also coming off a pair of rough seasons, but there should be less pressure on him.
The team hopes he can regain his effectiveness from 2022 when he posted a 2.96 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 191.1 innings of work.
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