The Cleveland Guardians have to add more juice to the bullpen. They’re already solid there, but you can never have too much firepower.
With that in mind, MLB insider Tim Stebbins made an interesting proposition. With the San Francisco Giants non-tendering Joey Lucchesi, he thinks they should make a run at him:
“Lucchesi transitioned to the bullpen in 2025, and he was steady for San Francisco. He generated a lot of weak contact (88.0 mph average exit velocity) and recorded a career-best ground-ball rate (54.2 percent). Lefties hit just .219 with a .598 OPS against him. Given Lucchesi’s history as a starter, he could fit the Allard mold as a lefty out of the bullpen who’s capable of giving length,” Stebbins wrote.
The Giants’ decision not to tender him was a bit surprising. He was quite efficient for them last season, and he was projected to make roughly $2 million. He benefited tremendously from transitioning to the bullpen after not being at his best as a starter.
Lucchesi posted a 3.76 ERA in 38.1 innings of work and 38 appearances in the Bay Area last season. He had 31 strikeouts and 12 walks.
While those numbers aren’t necessarily eye-popping, he proved to be reliable and was just making his transition to a relief role, so he should be better with more time. Also, he was coming off posting a 5.23 ERA with the New York Mets in the prior campaign, so he was clearly trending in the right direction.
The Guardians have always hung their hat on their pitching. They have one of the best pitching coaching staffs in the majors, and they can certainly polish his game. He’s not likely going to demand a lot of money or a long-term deal, which is another factor the front office will consider.
Bullpens tend to vary from year to year, and the Guardians certainly wore their out last season. So, adding a couple of new faces can’t hurt.
NEXT: Guardians Urged To Sign All-Star Outfielder In Free Agency
