Our concerns about the pitching staff of the Cleveland Guardians were based on a lack of depth. And it could be a problem down the road.
Right now, the Guardians are the only Major League team to have used just five starters, so having pitchers at the AAA level to pick up the slack hasn’t been needed.
The front office should be looking to improve in that area though. Cleveland just called up Logan Allen, who would seem to be the primary depth piece, from Columbus, but Allen hasn’t pitched well at AAA, he sported a 5.45 ERA when he was sent to Cleveland in a weird move on Sunday, and after throwing four innings last night, he will likely be sent back today.
Early in the season, it seemed like the “pitching factory” had a bit of a malfunction. Tanner Bibee had a few bad starts, including last night, and Slade Cecconi was getting hit hard, but as usual, Carl Willis and his staff righted the ship and since May 11th, the Guards have allowed more than four runs in a game just once.
Cecconi is the only starter with an ERA over 5 (5.15), but in his last three starts, he’s allowed just five runs in 16.1 innings and in his last five starts, he has a 4.00 ERA.
Steven Vogt’s team apparently refuses to score with Bibee is on the hill and that’s why he is 0-6 on the season, but with a respectable 3.75 ERA.
Gavin Williams and Parker Messick have emerged as aces. Williams, after his phenomenal performance Friday night vs. the Phillies, is 7-3 with a 3.25 ERA and leads the AL in innings with 69.1 and is second in strikeouts with 84. Better yet, in his last eight starts, he was walked two or fewer hitters. That’s been the issue with him, throwing strikes, and he seems to have taken care of that.
Messick, still a rookie, came close to a no-hitter early in the season against the Orioles, and is 6-1 and his 2.24 ERA ranks 4th in the American League. He has fanned 70 hitters, good for 6th in the AL.
And the fifth member of the rotation, Joey Cantillo ranks 10th in punching hitters out with 51 Ks in 56 innings.
Don’t forget the bullpen, which took a little while to sort out. Cade Smith has a couple of shaky outings to begin the season but has been dominant recently and leads the league in saves with 18 and has whiffed 37 in 25.1 innings.
Hunter Gaddis began the year on the IL, but over the last couple of weeks, he’s looked like the pitcher fans are accustomed to seeing. Eric Sabrowski has allowed just seven hits in 21 innings, striking out an incredible 39 batters. Unfortunately, he had to go on the IL with elbow inflammation. Colin Holderman, a free agent signee in the off-season, is being used more and succeeding in high-leverage situations.
As for the rotation depth, keep your eye on Rorik Maltrud in Columbus. Maltrud is a 26-year-old right-hander and has a 2.82 ERA in eight starts with the Clippers. He’s never been an innings eater though, his high in innings in any season has been 104.
We aren’t saying he’s the next guy, but it wouldn’t be a shock to see him making a couple of spot starts with the big club.
As the summer starts, it looks like the Cleveland Guardians’ pitching is in a good spot. We still worry about the depth in the rotation, but the strength of the organization is still just that.
Cleveland Sports Perspective 