When the Cleveland Guardians traded Andrés Giménez to get pitcher Luis L. Ortiz on a crazy offseason night, many fans were disappointed.
Little did they know that they were acquiring one of the most underrated pitchers in the game.
Ortiz had broken out with the Pittsburgh Pirates last year, with a 3.32 ERA, but the Guardians believed he had the stuff and potential for more.
More strikeouts, more effectiveness, and more wins.
Spring training was rough for Ortiz: he was getting to know his teammates and getting used to a new city and completely new surroundings.
He posted a 10.13 ERA in Cactus League play: fans were getting worried and desperate without him actually throwing a regular season pitch.
He then struggled in his first regular-season start, and the criticism got even louder.
Thankfully for the Guardians, he was solid in his second start (six innings, three runs, no walks, and three strikeouts) before dominating on Saturday against the Kansas City Royals.
Luis fully locked and loaded.#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/qLrbBkPY7E
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) April 12, 2025
He completed 5.2 frames and allowed a single run, on one hit and two walks.
His 10 strikeouts were thoroughly impressive: he fooled Royals hitters with his slider and changeup, but especially with his high-octane fastball.
Due to the seven runs he conceded in his first outing, Ortiz’s ERA for the season still stands at an ugly 6.06.
He is trending in the right direction, though, as is the team: the Guardians have now won five games in a row.
They have a solid pitcher in Ortiz, he just needs some time.
The righty appears to be blossoming, and that’s excellent news for Cleveland.
NEXT: Emmanuel Clase Gets Honest About Rough Start
