CLEVELAND -- The Guardians’ No. 1 priority this offseason is identifying how to improve an offense that struggled in 2025.
But Cleveland can take solace in a starting rotation that re-emerged as the team’s backbone this season after it stood as perhaps the organization’s biggest question mark this time one year ago.
“The starting pitching was a huge success story of our season this year, if not the success story of our season,” manager Stephen Vogt said at the Guardians’ end-of-season media availability earlier this month.
It has been well documented how the Guardians shifted to a six-man rotation during a September stretch of 24 games in as many days. It bears repeating how the group performed over the final month. Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Slade Cecconi, Logan Allen, Parker Messick and Joey Cantillo combined to record a 2.60 ERA (second in the Majors behind the Dodgers) and tossed 159 innings (first).
That performance propelled the Guardians into the postseason, and it gives them a lot of confidence heading into the winter. But the rotation’s ascension back to a team strength was a full-season and year-over-year success story.
“The progress that the group collectively made from where we were last year as an organization to now is almost night-and-day different,” team president Chris Antonetti said.
Adding rotation depth was a top priority for the Guardians last offseason. They landed Luis Ortiz from the Pirates on Dec. 10, and Cecconi from the D-backs on Dec. 21 via trade. They re-signed Bieber in December and added free agent John Means in February on one-year deals, as both continued to recover from Tommy John surgery.
But the Guardians were put to the test this season. Ben Lively underwent Tommy John surgery in May. Ortiz made 16 starts before he went on non-disciplinary paid leave on July 3 due to an ongoing MLB investigation.
Bieber was still rehabbing from Tommy John when the Guardians dealt him to the Blue Jays at the Trade Deadline. Means was on the comeback trail down the stretch but ultimately did not pitch in the Majors.
And yet, the rotation finished this season as a strength. Before the All-Star break, Guardians starters recorded a 4.07 ERA (tied with the Cubs for 17th in the Majors) over 503 1/3 innings (18th). After the break, they recorded a 3.60 ERA (tied for fifth with the Rangers) over 384 2/3 innings (tied for first with the Phillies).
Given Cleveland's offensive struggles, its rotation was especially key to securing a second consecutive AL Central division title.
“They just stopped giving up runs the last month and a half of the season,” catcher Austin Hedges said. “Like, straight up, we were not giving up any runs, especially in games that mattered the most. The playoffs started for us in September this year, and our pitchers acted like it and just didn't give up runs.”
Consider what we saw from each guy. Bibee (who signed a contract extension in March) had an up-and-down season, but he continued to work and found his form in September (1.30 ERA over four starts).
Williams’ 57 walks before the break led the Majors. He overcame command issues to turn into a force, en route to being named Cleveland's Game 1 starter in the AL Wild Card Series against the Tigers.
Cecconi was largely steady in his first season as a full-time big league starter (4.30 ERA over 23 starts). Allen had a 5.73 ERA over 20 starts in 2024. He won the fifth-starter job this spring and recorded a 4.25 ERA over 30 games (29 starts).
Messick made his big league debut on Aug. 20 and transitioned to the Majors seamlessly (2.72 ERA over seven starts). Cantillo opened the season in the bullpen and was optioned to Triple-A Columbus twice, including on Aug. 17 as Cleveland challenged him to attack the strike zone more frequently. He was recalled on Sept. 3 and recorded a 1.55 ERA in five starts after.
It’s tough to pull off a six-man rotation over a full 162-game season, given how it leaves the bullpen one pitcher short. But the Guardians are excited about the quality and quantity of their starters, and what the future could hold for the staff.
“I mean, shoot, man,” Hedges said. “We’ve got at least a six-man rotation of guys that I'm confident going out there to beat anybody in the league, and that list might be even deeper than six guys right now, too.”