Cleveland Guardians ace Shane Bieber is recovering from major elbow surgery and might not be back to his best form.
Their third starter, Gavin Williams, posted a 4.86 ERA in 2024.
Newcomer Luis L. Ortiz just got shelled for six runs in his first start of spring training.
Another newcomer, Slade Cecconi, had a horrible ERA last year for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Triston McKenzie couldn’t post an ERA lower than 5.00 in either MLB or Triple-A last year, and Logan Allen regressed after a strong 2023 season.
Kolby Allard and Jakob Junis don’t have much upside.
It’s true: The Guardians’ rotation is full of risks.
However, it’s also full of potential.
“Listen, it’s a lot of ifs, but if Bieber and [John] Means can come back healthy, Williams takes the next step, and McKenzie can pitch effectively again, we may be back to having an elite rotation again,” Guardians of The Land wrote on X.
Listen, it's a lot of ifs, but if Bieber and Means can come back healthy, Williams takes the next step, and McKenzie can pitch effectively again, we may be back to having an elite rotation again.
Bieber
Bibee
Williams
Ortiz
McKenzie
Means
Junis
Cantillo
Lively
Cecconi
Nikhazy— Guardians of The Land (@OurCLEGuardians) February 26, 2025
With the ceiling considered, the Guardians can easily finish with a top-five rotation.
The success rate for Tommy John surgery patients is very high these days, so Bieber should eventually return to top form, and Williams is touching 98 mph with his fastball with a revamped slider.
He also had to deal with an elbow injury last year that affected his numbers but is fully healthy now.
Ortiz is brimming with potential and his floor is solid, and Tanner Bibee is a staff leader until Bieber comes back.
Cecconi can thrive once he shows off some adjustments he worked on, even if he is likely a long reliever.
McKenzie is the real wild card. If he returns to his 2022 form, when he put up a 2.96 ERA in 191.1 innings, this rotation can go places.
He is showing improved stuff so far this spring.
Prospects Doug Nikhazy and Parker Messick can give the staff even more upside, while Allard, Junis or Means could be good stabilizers.
The latter is injured and not expected back until the second half but could have a Matthew Boyd-like impact for Cleveland in the stretch run.
Let’s not forget about Joey Cantillo. If he can conquer his command, he could be a solid mid-rotation piece.
It’s a lot of “ifs,” but the Guardians do have enormous potential.
NEXT: Young Guardians Starter Impresses In Spring Debut
