The Cleveland Guardians entered this season with some big questions about their rotation.
The starters got off to a somewhat slow start to the campaign, but they’ve turned things around ever since.
Some of them have established themselves as potential long-term contributors.
With that in mind, team analyst Bruce Drennan got ahead of himself to predict the team’s starting rotation next season, once Shane Bieber is back to full strength and ready to roll from day one:
“Looking ahead to 2026, let’s say that this happens. Hopefully, your starting rotation will sound like this: Shane Bieber, Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Slade Cecconi, and Logan Allen. That’s pretty good,” Drennan said.
Bruce looks ahead to what the 2026 starting rotation will look like. #GuardsBall
"That's pretty good."
Presented by #mentornissan https://t.co/ouNQklEUGb pic.twitter.com/DAwN6cYfJ5
— Bruce Drennan Show (@Bruce_Drennan) June 22, 2025
That’s not too shabby, and the team would still have some interesting options behind them.
Luis L. Ortiz has been inconsistent this season, and he’s struggled with control at times.
Nevertheless, he’s also been the team’s most impressive hurler when he’s been at his best, so they should continue to try and develop him and put him in a position to succeed; he’s just too talented not to give him a chance.
It wouldn’t be shocking to see him taking Allen or Cecconi’s spot in that projected rotation, especially if he closes out the year on a high note.
The Guardians won’t rake their way to a World Series, and unless they make some big moves at the trade deadline or in the offseason, that’s not going to be the case next year either.
As such, they will need their hurlers to hold down the fort and put the team in a position to succeed.
It’s certainly not ideal, but they have already shown that they have the talent to do so.
NEXT: Analyst Says Rumored Guardians Trade Wouldn't Make Sense
