The Cleveland Guardians strongest unit is their pitching staff, specifically the rotation.
They have 2020 AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, who had a 3.80 ERA in his worst season and has gotten back a couple of mph on his fastball.
They have three young phenoms in Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen and Gavin Williams, although the latter is currently hurt.
They have a steady veteran in Carlos Carrasco, and of course, one of the most underrated starters in the American League in Triston McKenzie.
FanGraphs, one of the most renowned baseball sites around, recently ranked all rotations ahead of Opening Day on Thursday.
The Guardians weren’t in the top ten.
They weren’t even in the top half.
“FanGraphs’ starting pitching projections/rotation rankings for AL Central teams will probably shock many people. #5 — Twins #21 — Guardians #22 — Tigers #25 — Royals #27 — White Sox,” MLB insider Aaron Gleeman tweeted.
FanGraphs' starting pitching projections/rotation rankings for AL Central teams will probably shock many people.
#5 — Twins
#21 — Guardians
#22 — Tigers
#25 — Royals
#27 — White SoxRotations ranked 1-15: https://t.co/avV4gAORsB
Rotations ranked 16-30: https://t.co/TfSV8pDqz8
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) March 27, 2024
The Minnesota Twins, who lost Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda, ranked fifth.
The Guardians, with the aforementioned names plus Ben Lively, Xzavion Curry, Hunter Gaddis, and others, can’t even crack the top 20.
It’s certainly a disappointing ranking, but it’s important to remember that these exercises are often subjective.
Still, one would expect a bit more considering the fact the Guards have a former Cy Young, two pitchers who already have sub-3.00s ERA seasons (Bibee and McKenzie) and a bunch of promising arms.
They also have some prospects on their way, such as Cade Smith.
When everything is said and done, the Guardians have the resources, talent, and coaching to be a top ten pitching staff in MLB.
NEXT: Guardians Insider Details Pitching Matchups For Opening Series