With the success Parker Messick has had so far in his MLB career, it’s easy to forget that the Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher hasn’t even completed a full season yet. The 25-year-old left-hander has made just 24 big league starts since his debut last August.
So, it should be no surprise that Messick is still working on things and discovering what he is capable of. It can create some inconsistencies in his performance, but it should prove to be worthwhile in the long run.
Messick recently revealed a key adjustment behind his rising velocity, calling it “minor” but adding that he is also working on his between-starts routine.
“We’ve made just a minor adjustment in the delivery. I’m also figuring out what routines work best throughout the course of the week. It’s an ongoing process, still young in my career, so we’re starting to figure out, you know, what makes me feel the best going into each start. Also, with just a little bit of a delivery adjustment, it makes the ball come out a little bit harder,” Messick said.
"It's an ongoing process, still young my career, so we're starting to figure out, you know, what makes me feel the best going into each start…"#Guardians Parker Messick on what has gone into his recent uptick in velocity #GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/7p1y8spIRW
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) June 30, 2026
The fact that Messick is willing to tinker with success is a good sign for his future development, even if it is not producing the desired results right now. After Cleveland won nine of his first 11 starts this season, the Guardians have lost five of his past six.
That includes Monday, when Messick gave up four runs and six hits over 6.2 innings in a 6-3 loss to the Texas Rangers. In June, he has a 4.26 ERA, giving up 16 runs and 25 hits with eight walks in 31.2 innings.
After opening the season 6-1 with a 2.21 ERA, which generated All-Star hype, Messick is now 7-5 with a 2.85 ERA that still ranks fifth among starters in the American League. His 101.2 innings rank third, and his 106 strikeouts are tied for seventh.
Messick has been known to rely heavily on his changeup, which is a favorite pitch of many left-handers. So, if he can increase the velocity on his four-seam fastball, it could make that other pitch even more effective. It will also improve the look of the rest of his wide-ranging repertoire, which includes a sinker, curveball, slider, and cutter.
Overall, it has been a very successful first full season in the majors for Messick, with a good chance to get even better.
NEXT: Guardians Make Concerning Move In Latest Power Rankings
