The Cleveland Guardians shocked the world last season. They weren’t supposed to be a competitive team, much less make the playoffs after winning just nine games in June.
They didn’t have a good offense. In fact, they had the third-worst offense in all of baseball, yet they still managed to win the division and make the playoffs.
While some of that had to do with luck and good coaching, the pitching staff was also stellar. They were particularly good down the stretch. With that in mind, team analyst Paul Hoynes wanted to tip his hat to Joey Cantillo.
The young hurler took a big step forward last season, especially at the end of last season, and his talent and versatility will make him a crucial contributor to this team next season as well:
“The fact that [Joey Cantillo] can do both, and do them effectively, come out of the pen and also join the rotation, that is only going to extend his career, keep him in the big leagues longer,” Hoynes noted. “In 2024 he made some big strides, but I think last season there was more incremental improvement. He started to look like a big league pitcher.”
The Guardians’ decision to demote him back to Triple-A Columbus at one point in the season was somewhat surprising. He didn’t miss a beat there, though, and he joined the rotation for a brutal stretch of 24 games in as many days.
The young southpaw has proven to be a reliable option. He should be one of the leading candidates to join Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, and Logan Allen in the rotation next season.
And, given that he can also come out of the bullpen and serve this team in almost every way they need, Cantillo should have a long and successful career with this organization if he keeps this up.
NEXT: Insider Says 3 Young Guardians Will Be Key To Success
