4 new arms who could impact Guards' rotation in 2025

By Anthony Castrovince

7:30 PM EST

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Guardians reached the ALCS last season despite very little going as planned/hoped in the rotation. It took some salvation from midseason signee Matthew Boyd to keep things afloat down the stretch.

With Boyd (and fellow in-season veteran acquisition Alex Cobb) having departed in free agency, the questions in this rotation became more pronounced. The Guards were able to retain staff ace Shane Bieber during his recovery from Tommy John surgery, but he won’t be available until midyear. They hope that Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen bounce back strong from their 2024 woes, that first-rounder Gavin Williams reaches his ceiling after last year’s injury and inconsistency, that veteran Ben Lively can continue to delivery quality innings in support of No. 1 starter Tanner Bibee, that a prospect like lefty Doug Nikhazy (No. 25) can pop. But this is a group loaded with uncertainty.

So the question at the outset of spring camp, which began with the first formal workout for pitchers and catchers on Thursday, is whether this club has done enough to externally address its inevitable rotation needs.

As possible options like Nick Pivetta and Cal Quantrill came off the board this week, the Guards reported to camp having acquired four outside arms who could impact the rotation immediately or in time.

Because this organization has a strong track record of maximizing the value of imported pitchers, it’s worth exploring those arms here.

1. Luis Ortiz, RHP
Age: 26
Acquired: From the Pirates in the three-team trade that sent Andrés Giménez to Toronto

Ortiz is big (6-foot-2, 235 pounds) and imposing, with long arm action and tree-trunk thighs he uses to generate 95 mph averages with his four-seamer and sinker. He had his first real taste of big league success last year, shifting from the bullpen to the rotation and posting a 126 ERA+ (26% better than league average) in 135 2/3 innings.

But to date, he’s struggled with command, generating below-average strikeout and walk rates. Last year, he mostly scrapped his changeup while upping his use of the cutter. The Guards want him utilizing his full repertoire.

“I’m back to being my full self and throwing everything I want to throw,” Ortiz said through interpreter Agustin Rivero. “They’ve made it clear to me they want me to be the best version of myself.”

Said manager Stephen Vogt: “He could just be hitting his stride.”

2. Slade Cecconi, RHP
Age: 25
Acquired: From the Diamondbacks in the Josh Naylor trade

The Guardians moved an All-Star bat (and a good chunk of change) to land an intriguing project in Cecconi, who has struggled so far in the Majors (6.06 ERA in 104 innings).

Cecconi has a lively fastball that’s been torched (.329 average, .582 slugging percentage last season) by big league batters.

“We’ve cleaned up some mechanics,” Cecconi said. “I’ve also developed a couple new pitches -- different versions of the fastball, one that goes left and one that goes right. It should be fun and open up some stuff.”

3. Vince Velasquez, RHP
Age: 32
Acquired: Minor League free agent with a spring invite

Over the course of nine big league seasons, Velasquez carved out a reputation as a solid back-end rotation option or swingman, but he missed most of 2023 and all of '24 following surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament.

Velasquez spoke earnestly and excitedly about benefiting from seeing the battle between pitcher and hitter from a different perspective.

“When I was throwing bullpens midsummer [last year],” Velasquez said, “I had a couple scouts come out and I told them, ‘What you have labeled on your paper is not what I am now.’ I’ve definitely evolved as a pitcher and learned how to strategize and sequence and put things together.”

4. Kolby Allard, LHP
Age: 27
Acquired: Minor League free agent with a spring invite

Outrighted by the Phillies, Allard opted for free agency and valued what the Guardians have done with pitchers in the past. He’s out of Minor League options, so the club will have to make a decision on him between now and the end of camp.

Back in 2019, Allard showed flashes of potential in a handful of starts with the Rangers, but his 272 big league innings have resulted in a 5.99 ERA. He feels Philadelphia had him focused too much on strength training and not enough on his natural athleticism.

“I’m getting back to more of my younger self,” Allard said. “Incorporating a little more athleticism into my delivery to squeeze out another tick or two [of velocity].”

Anthony Castrovince has been a reporter for MLB.com since 2004.

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Spring training used to be for guys who'd been working in real jobs all winter; now they make enough money to spend the winter working out.

Paul Sewald

Guards invest in already historically great bullpen ahead of '25

By Anthony Castrovince

4:05 PM EST

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Guardians entered the offseason with needs.

The bullpen was not one of them.

Given the historically great performance from their relief corps in the 2024 run to the ALCS, the bullpen was the one element of this club (well, maybe outside that guy at third base) that could have arguably been left alone. Instead, with the first-base switch from Josh Naylor to Carlos Santana a financial wash and the re-signed Shane Bieber making less in '25 than he did in '24, the bullpen is the only area in which Cleveland added payroll.

Save big on the biggest games with Flex Voucher Plans

The Guardians are expected to confirm their one-year deal with right-hander Jakob Junis -- who they view as a reliever despite him finishing the 2024 season in the Reds’ rotation -- on Saturday. When they do, that will pair with the one-year pact the club made with veteran reliever Paul Sewald for a combined $10.5 million in new investment in the bullpen -- or 11% of the Guards’ total projected payroll, per Cot’s Contracts.

“I don’t know that, entering the offseason, we would have said the bullpen is a priority or the priority,” assistant general manager Matt Forman said. “But we made choices to fortify what was already a very strong group.”

Strong group is an understatement. The Guardians’ 2.57 relief ERA was the fourth-best of the Wild Card era. That group’s unexpected emergence as an elite strength changed the trajectory of what could have been a bumpy ride for this club, given the iffiness endured all season in the rotation.

But the back-end dominance was significantly weighted toward four guys -- AL Reliever of the Year Emmanuel Clase and youngsters Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and Tim Herrin. They all had at least 70 appearances and sub-2.00 ERAs.

No team in Major League history had four such relievers before.

There’s the rub, of course. Making such history is cool, but repeating it in an area as volatile as a big league bullpen is pretty much impossible. By the end of the ALCS loss to the Yankees, we had seen evidence of the Guards’ great group running on fumes -- in the uncharacteristic end-of-game implosions endured by Clase, in Smith getting beat on his best pitch by Giancarlo Stanton and in Gaddis serving up Juan Soto’s clinching crusher.

So while the Guardians are taking some calculated gambles elsewhere on the roster -- making only low-key acquisitions in the rotation, replacing Naylor and his power bat with a 39-year-old Carlos Santana, trading away Andrés Giménez’s Platinum Glove and opening second-base opportunity to young unprovens, entering yet another season with question marks in the outfield alignment -- they made what on this sparse payroll can only be described as significant investments in the ‘pen.

Not that Sewald and Junis jerseys will be flying off the shelves in the Guardians Team Store this summer, but these were sensible signings.

Sewald never got right last year after opening the season on the Diamondbacks’ injured list with an oblique issue. But there’s reason to believe the Guards’ proven pitching prowess can get the 34-year-old right-hander back to his form of 2021-23, when he threw 189 1/3 innings with a 2.95 ERA, 33.9% strikeout rate and 8.6% walk rate.

As for the 32-year-old Junis, he will be available to the Guards in the same hybrid role he served for the Brewers and Reds last season. But with so many other rotation options to sort through, Cleveland really views Junis as a reliever capable of providing command and length. Last season, all but three of his 18 relief appearances were for multiple innings (as many as 3 2/3 innings), and his 3.2% walk rate was in the top 1% in MLB. Think of him basically fulfilling the role vacated by Pedro Avila (3.25 ERA in 74 2/3 innings with Cleveland last year).

And of course, beyond the external additions, the Guardians have prospects who could pop. Most notably, Andrew Walters (No. 22) and Erik Sabrowski, late-season callups who pitched themselves directly on the postseason roster last year. And also 40-man right-handers Franco Aleman and Nic Enright (currently recovering from a lat strain) and perhaps even left-handed starter Doug Nikhazy.

The Guardians are going to have to navigate the potential lag effects with the four horsemen from their 2024 bullpen, beginning with the Cactus League season.

“We’re going to be mindful in their buildup,” manager Stephen Vogt said.

The Guards were mindful of those lag effects in their roster construction, too.

Anthony Castrovince has been a reporter for MLB.com since 2004.

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Jakob Junis

Guardians add versatile righty Junis

By Anthony Castrovince

10:06 AM EST

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Guardians made a late addition to their pitching pool by agreeing to terms with right-hander Jakob Junis on a one-year, $4.5 million contract, pending a physical, according to a source. The club has not confirmed the deal.

Junis served a hybrid role for the Brewers and the Reds in a 2024 season affected by injury. He made 24 appearances in all, six as a starter. If the Guardians envision a similar role for Junis in Cleveland, he could be another starting option for a club whose rotation picture is very much in flux. What is certain is that he is capable of providing bulk innings (all but three of his 18 relief appearances in 2024 were for multiple innings) in a Guardians bullpen that was terrific last season but could experience some lag effects from the heavy workload and the deep postseason run.

Across eight MLB seasons with the Royals, Giants, Brewers and Reds, the 32-year-old Junis has compiled a 4.48 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 780 1/3 innings. He’s shown good control, with a 5.9% career walk rate (including a 3.2% walk rate in 2024 that was among the best in the league). His best weapon is a slider that held opponents to a .183 average last season.

The 2024 season was a challenging one for Junis, as he dealt with a right shoulder impingement early in the year and also spent time on the Brewers’ injured list after getting struck by a ball while jogging on-field during batting practice. But he was effective when healthy, with a 2.69 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 67 innings. The Reds acquired him in the midseason deal that sent Frankie Montas to Milwaukee, and Junis wound up making five starts for Cincinnati in the home stretch.

Cleveland entered Spring Training camp with a full 40-man roster, so an accompanying roster move will need to be made to accommodate Junis.

Anthony Castrovince has been a reporter for MLB.com since 2004.

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Shane Bieber

Guardians Offer Positive Shane Bieber Update

February 14, 2025

By Andres Chavez

The Cleveland Guardians have been without their ace, Shane Bieber, since last April.

After two incredibly impressive starts to open the 2024 campaign (12 scoreless innings with 20 strikeouts), Bieber blew out his elbow and had to go under the knife.

Tommy John surgery was his fate, which meant two things: one, he would have to face free agency as a rehabbing player; and two, that he wouldn’t be ready for the start of the 2025 season.

The Guardians were able to retain him on a one-year deal with a player option for 2026, partially because the injury lowered his free agent price a bit.

Guardians fans, at this point, only want to know one thing: his return date.

These things are impossible to predict after Tommy John surgery, but the organization had some good news to share on Friday.

“Guardians with positive medical updates on several players including Shane Bieber, whose throwing program has him out to 120 feet. He should begin throwing off a mound soon. Right-hander had elbow reconstruction in April,” longtime Guardians reporter Tom Withers posted on X .

To be more specific, the press release that the Guardians sent said that Bieber would initiate his mound progression in mid-February, which is basically now.






Starting mound work doesn’t mean his return is imminent.

He will have to progress to throwing bullpens, then live batting practice, and probably either extended spring training or rehab starts in the minor leagues after that.

What this means is that there is a tangible chance Bieber can return at some point in the first half.

That would be a huge win for Cleveland.

The goal is to have him contributing at some point in the summer.

The team will need him in the stretch run and, particularly, the playoffs.

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Guardians injury updates: Shane Bieber, Trevor Stephan, Sam Hentges and more

Updated: Feb. 14, 2025, 12:45 p.m.|Published: Feb. 14, 2025, 11:19 a.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians released medical updates on several players who are rehabbing from injuries as the team begins workouts at its Goodyear, Arizona, training facility.

Not too many surprises appeared on the list, as ace starter Shane Bieber and super utility man David Fry both continue to make their way back to the field following elbow surgeries. Reliever Sam Hentges and former first-round pick Daniel Espino are both sidelined after shoulder surgeries that could see them miss a significant portion of the season.

A new addition to the list is right-handed reliever Nic Enright, who is dealing with a lat strain that should keep him sidelined until April. Last year, Enright missed four months with a shoulder injury, but rebounded to post a 1.06 ERA with three saves in 16 games at Columbus. The Guardians added Enright to their 40-man roster in November.

Below are medical updates from the club with timelines for return to play where available.

Sam Hentges: Currently five months out from a right shoulder anterior capsule repair performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in September. Hentges is said to be progressing through his post-operative rehab program as scheduled and could begin a return to throwing progression in March. According to the club, the timeframe for full recovery from an anterior capsule repair is typically 12-14 months.

Daniel Espino: Following surgery to repair the right shoulder anterior capsule 11 months ago performed by ElAttrache, Espino’s rehab and throwing progression is in on course with the doctors' original timeline. The Guardians plan for the former first-round pick to return to game activity in the next 5-7 months.

Nic Enright: A new addition to the injury report, Enright is currently recovering from a low-grade strain of his right latissimus dorsi muscle. The 2019 draft pick out of Virginia Tech could resume throwing next week and is projected to return to game activity in April.

Shane Bieber: While at the team’s Arizona complex, Bieber has continued to make progress as he recovers from right ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in April 2024. The 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner is throwing five days per week at a distance of up to 120 feet. He is on course to begin a mound progression in mid-February.

Trevor Stephan: Also working at the Arizona training facility, Stephan is throwing five days per week at a distance of 120 feet. Like Bieber, he underwent right ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in March 2024. The club says Stephan will likely begin his mound progression later in the month of February.

George Valera: Running on the field is the next step in Valera’s return from right knee patellar tendon repair that took place 19 weeks ago. Valera successfully added throwing and hitting into his progression, along with soft toss swings and throwing out to 75 feet. The club expects Valera to begin taking batting practice in the upcoming week and progressing into defensive drill work by March.

David Fry: After right elbow reconstruction performed by Dr. Keith Meister in October, Fry remains on course with his rehab at the Arizona complex. Fry will undergo re-checks at set intervals with Meister in early March in order to determine his next set of benchmarks. A versatile defender, Fry will not play in the field this season according to manager Stephen Vogt.

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Guardians To Sign Jakob Junis

By Anthony Franco | February 13, 2025 at 11:58pm CDT

The Guardians and Jakob Junis are in agreement on a one-year, $4.5MM deal, reports Kiley McDaniel of ESPN. The signing is pending a physical for the Wasserman client. Cleveland’s 40-man roster is at capacity, though they can create a spot by placing any of Shane Bieber, David Fry or Sam Hentges on the 60-day injured list.

Junis adds versatility to Stephen Vogt’s pitching staff. The 32-year-old righty has bounced between the rotation and the bullpen throughout his career. He has pitched mostly in multi-inning relief roles over the last two seasons. That has suited him well, as Junis has turned in solid numbers in consecutive years. He pitched to a 3.87 earned run average with a career-best 26.2% strikeout rate across 80 innings for the Giants two seasons ago.

The uptick in strikeouts earned Junis a $7MM guarantee from the Brewers last offseason. Milwaukee intended to give him a rotation opportunity, but he suffered a shoulder impingement during his first start of the season. A scary fluke injury delayed his return from the injured list. A few weeks after the shoulder injury, Junis was struck in the neck by a fly ball while he was jogging in the outfield during batting practice. That necessitated a brief hospitalization.

Fortunately, Junis escaped the incident with no long-term effects. It set him back as he rehabbed the shoulder, though, leading Milwaukee to transfer him to the 60-day IL. The Brewers used him out of the bullpen when he returned towards the end of June. They packaged him alongside outfielder Joey Wiemer to the Reds to land Frankie Montas in a deadline deal.

The Reds initially kept Junis in the bullpen themselves. They stretched him back out as a starter for the season’s final month. While the Reds were essentially out of contention by that point, Junis performed well as a starter. He allowed two or fewer runs in each of his final six appearances (five starts and one long relief outing).He built back to 5-6 inning stints to close the year.

Though the injuries limited him to 67 innings, Junis turned in a career-low 2.69 ERA between the two NL Central clubs. He didn’t sustain his ’23 uptick in whiffs, as his strikeout rate dropped to a 20.2% clip that is more in line with his overall track record. The eight-year MLB veteran has excellent command though. He kept his walks to a career-low 3.2% rate last season and has issued free passes to fewer than 6% of opposing hitters throughout his career.

Junis sits in the 91-92 MPH range with his sinker and four-seam fastball. He leans most heavily on a low-80s slider. That has given him some trouble with left-handed batters in his career, but he was effective against hitters of either handedness last season. He held lefties to a .218/.238/.406 line while stifling right-handed batters to a .193/.236/.329 slash. That could give Vogt the confidence to plug him into a season-opening rotation role.

For the second straight year, the rotation is Cleveland’s biggest question. Tanner Bibee is the staff ace, at least until Bieber returns from his Tommy John rehab. He’ll likely be followed by some combination of Ben Lively, Gavin Williams and trade pickup Luis Ortiz. Junis could compete with Triston McKenzie, Joey Cantillo, Slade Cecconi and Logan Allen for the fifth starter role. McKenzie is out of options and will likely be on the MLB team in some capacity. Each of Allen, Cantillo and Cecconi have an option remaining and can head to Triple-A Columbus if they don’t earn an Opening Day rotation spot.

The signing pushes Cleveland’s projected payroll to roughly $100MM, according to RosterResource. That’s right in line with last year’s $98MM season-opening payroll and a few million dollars below where they ended the ’24 campaign. They could still have a few million dollars for a depth acquisition or two after winning the division and earning an ALCS berth.

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Did we find our #2? on the cheap?

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Guardians Could Have Up To Eight Arms Competing For 2 Rotation Spots

February 14, 2025

By Andres Chavez

The Cleveland Guardians have put together a deep group of starting pitchers vying for rotation spots in their spring training camp in Goodyear, Arizona.

You can argue about how good these starters are individually and as a unit, but there is no question that there are plenty of names and options, most of which have been successful as major leaguers before or are promising prospects.

As things stand right now, Cleveland is looking at three locks for the rotation.

“Cleveland #Guardians should have a large contingent of arms competing for the 4th and 5th starting rotation spots to start the season. 1) RHP Tanner Bibee, 2) RHP Luis Ortiz, 3) RHP Gavin Williams (Slot Bieber in 1 or 2 when healthy),” Guardians Prospective posted on X.

The names listed here need no introduction.

Even Ortiz, who posted a 3.32 ERA last year, should take a step forward and become a household name for Guardians fans.

The insider then listed the eight names that are more likely to compete for the remaining two spots.

“Arms competing for 4 and 5. LHP Koby Allard, LHP Logan Allen, LHP Joey Cantillo, LHP Doug Nikhazy, RHP Slade Cecconi, RHP Jakob Junis, RHP Ben Lively, RHP Triston McKenzie.

1) RHP Tanner Bibee
2) RHP Luis Ortiz
3) RHP Gavin Williams

* Slot Bieber in 1 or 2 when healthy.

Arms competing for 4 and 5.

LHP Koby Allard
LHP Logan Allen
LHP Joey Cantillo
LHP Doug Nikhazy

RHP Slade Cecconi
RHP Jakob Junis
RHP Ben Lively
RHP Triston McKenzie

[ This is going to be fun to watch! May the best man win! ]

If McKenzie is at least 75 percent of the pitcher he was in 2022, when he posted a 2.96 ERA in 191.1 frames, he should be another lock for the rotation.

It will all depend on the health of his elbow and how affected his velocity and command are.

The organization would love to have Cantillo run away with a spot, as he is young, controllable, and talented.

He has to overcome his own walk issues for that to happen, though.

Keep a close eye on Cecconi, as he is an exciting project with great stuff and fantastic extension.

Nikhazy would have to be very impressive in camp to win a place, but he is one to watch for in the future.

Allard is more of an organizational depth arm, and if Cantillo and Allen can’t get in the conversation, the Guards have steady veterans such as Junis and Lively ready to take over.

If Bieber returns to full form eventually and Cantillo, McKenzie or Allen can provide some sort of stability, this could be a solid rotation.

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I guess time will tell, but I like Junis sliding into the #2 dropping Ortiz to #3. Either way, Junis and Ortiz or Ortiz and Junis is a good fit.

My choices:

Bibee
Junis (Ortiz)
Ortiz (Junis)
Williams
Cantillo/Allen


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Right-hander Ben Lively was one of the few consistent starters in the Guardians' rotation last year. Can he do it again in 2025?


Royals rank 1st, Guardians 4th among AL Central rotations:
The week in baseball

Updated: Feb. 15, 2025, 4:04 p.m.|Published: Feb. 15, 2025, 3:37 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians' starting rotation was never right last year.

“One week into the season we’d lost two guys,” said right-hander Tanner Bibee, speaking on a Zoom call from the team’s spring training site in Goodyear, Arizona. “That’s going to be hard to overcome, especially when one is a former Cy Young winner and the other a No. 1 pick.”

Bibee was talking about Shane Bieber, Cleveland’s Cy Young winner in 2020, and Gavin Williams, a No. 1 pick in 2021. Bieber needed Tommy John surgery two starts into the season, while Williams opened the year on the injured list with a sore right elbow that limited him to 16 starts.

More bad news followed.

Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen, two members of the opening day rotation, struggled and spent much of the year at Triple-A Columbus. Rookie manager Stephen Vogt needed 14 starters and an extraordinary effort from the bullpen to not only get through the season, but win the American League Central.

So what did the Guardians do about it during the offseason?

They re-signed Bieber, who filed for free agency after the season, even though he’s still rehabbing from surgery on his right elbow. Williams, McKenzie and Allen are back in camp as well.

As for help from the outside, they traded for Pittsburgh right-hander Luis Ortiz and immediately gave him a spot in the rotation. The question is, will that be enough to defend their AL Central title, or at least make the postseason, in a division where the opposition has been strengthening their rotations over the last few seasons.

The Guardians' projected rotation for 2025 is hazy, especially with no set date for Bieber’s return. There’s Bibee, Ben Lively and Ortiz. The last two spots should be decided between Williams, McKenzie, Allen, Joey Cantillo and Doug Nikhazy. The Guardians are expected to announce the signing of right-hander Jakob Junis on Saturday to a one-year $4.5 million deal. Junis has made 118 starts out of 192 big-league appearances, but has been used mostly as a reliever since 2023.

What the 2024 stats say: The Guardians’ rotation went 50-57 with a 4.40 ERA (12th in the AL). They threw 805 innings (13th), struck out 760 (10th), walked 289 (11th) and had a batting average against of .250 (10th).

Workhorse: Bibee: 12-8, 3.47, 31 starts, 173 2/3 innings.

Projected 2025 AL Central rotation rank: Fourth.

KANSAS CITY

The Royals' rotation posted the best ERA in the division last year. They re-signed Michael Wacha (13-8, 3.35) and Michael Lorenzen (7-6, 3.31) to go along with Cole Ragans (11-9, 3.14) and Cy Young contender Seth Lugo (16-9, 3.00).

Lefty Kris Bubic could win the fifth spot, but he’ll be pushed by Alex Marsh, Daniel Lynch IV, Kyle Wright and Jonathan Bowlan.

What the 2024 stats say: The rotation went 60-50 with a 3.55 ERA (second). They threw 911 innings (second) with 876 strikeouts (fourth), 276 walks (sixth) and a .237 batting average against (fourth).

Workhorse: Lugo: 16-9, 3.00, 33 starts, 206 2/3 innings.

Projected 2025 AL Central rotation rank: First.

DETROIT

Last year the Tigers' rotation posted the third lowest ERA in the AL and the second lowest in the Central. Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and recently re-signed Jack Flaherty will set the tone for this season. Prospect Jackson Jobe, who went from Class A ball to Detroit last year, could get a look. Reese Olson and Kenta Maeda could fill out the rotation as well.

The Tigers signed former Guardians' right-hander Alex Cobb over the winter, but he could miss the start of the season with a right hip injury.

There’s depth as well in Casey Mize, Keider Montero, Matt Manning and Ty Madden.

What the 2024 stats say: The Tigers' rotation went 40-40 with a 3.69 ERA (third). They pitched the fewest innings in the AL at 753, while striking out 730 (12th), walking 206 (second) and allowing a .241 batting average against (tied for sixth).

Workhorse: Skubal: 18-4, 2.39, 31 starts, 192 innings.

Projected 2024 AL Central rotation rank: Second.

MINNESOTA

The Twins may have the top three starters in the division with Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober, providing Ryan can bounce back from a right shoulder injury that cost him the last seven weeks of the 2024 season. Simeon Woods Richardson had a decent season at the back of the rotation last year, but depth is a question. Chris Paddack didn’t pitch after July 14 because of arm fatigue. David Festa and Zebby Matthews should be able to help.

What the 2024 stats say: The Twins' rotation went 47-49 with a 4.36 ERA (11th). They threw 852 1/3 innings (seventh), struck out 873 (fourth), walked 220 (third) and had a .246 batting average against (11th).

Workhorse: Lopez: 15-10, 4.08, 32 starts, 185 1/3 innings.

Projected 2025 AL Central rank: third.

CHICAGO

Not much good can come out of a record-setting 121-loss season. Such was the case with the White Sox’s rotation last year. No Chicago starter won more than seven games. New manager Will Venable will try to assemble a rotation from Jonathan Cannon, veteran Martin Perez, Davis Martin, Bryce Wilson and Sean Burke.

What the 2024 stats say: The White Sox’s rotation went 26-72 with a 4.63 ERA (13th) last year. They threw 781 1/3 innings (14th), struck out 710 (13th), walked 305 (12th) with a .252 batting average against (13).

Workhorse: Free agent Chris Flexen: 3-15, 4.95, 30 starts, 160 innings.

Projected 2025 AL Central rank: Fifth.


Kansas City= Projected 2025 AL Central rotation rank: First.
Detroit= Projected 2024 AL Central rotation rank: Second.
Minnesota= Projected 2025 AL Central rank: third.
Cleveland= Projected 2025 AL Central rotation rank: Fourth.
Chicago= Projected 2025 AL Central rank: Fifth.

WoW!
Looks like I was not alone in thinking this rotation needed some help.
Until further develops say otherwise, I am comfortable but not excited with this proposed rotation.
I think Jacob Junis may be a difference maker but we shall see.



GUARDIANS/INDIANS TO REMEMBER

RHP Xvazion Curry, who pitched for the Guards in parts of the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons, was outrighted to Triple-A by Miami.
OF Oscar Mercado, who played for Cleveland from 2019 through 2022, signed a minor league deal with the Phillies.
INF Christian Arroyo, who played one game for the Indians in 2020, signed a minor league deal with the Phillies.
RHP Scott Barlow, who made 63 appearances for the Guardians last year, signed a one-year $2.5 million deal with the Reds.
RHP Cal Quantrill, who pitched for Cleveland from 2020 through 2023, signed a one-year deal with Miami worth $3.5 million.
LHP Rob Kaminsky, who pitched in the minors for Cleveland from 2015 through 2019, has signed a minor league deal with the Cardinals.
INF Spencer Horwitz, briefly a Guardian in December before being traded to the Pirates, will be sidelined following surgery on his right wrist.

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Guardians Rehabbing Star Returns To The Mound

February 15, 2025

By Andres Chavez

The Cleveland Guardians reported this week that everything is going smoothly with Shane Bieber’s rehab from Tommy John surgery.

They said, in a press release, that he had increased his throwing distance to 120 feet and that he would start mound work in mid-February.

Well, it’s mid-February, and guess what? Bieber returned to the mound to throw a bullpen on Saturday.

There is video evidence, of course.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1890827326218273092

Everything is going according to the plan.

The plan, so far, is to have Bieber back in the Guardians rotation in the first half or around the break.

It looks like he could beat that timeline, though.

Of course, Cleveland won’t rush Bieber: they need to let him regain his feel for pitching at his own pace without having to force things.

The thought of having him back at full strength for the stretch run and the postseason is bringing excitement to fans, though.

The team lacked length and quality in the rotation during last year’s October run, and they still made it to the American League Championship Series.

With another season of experience for Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams, a modest step forward from Luis L. Ortiz, and Bieber in top form, it’s hard not to get excited about the future.

Granted, many things can go wrong, but Bieber does give the rotation a different kind of ceiling.

After all, he has a brilliant 3.22 career ERA and is a lock for 200 strikeouts if his arm allows it.

It will be a long progression until he is ready to pitch in MLB games, but so far, so good

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'Like riding a bike': Bieber takes next step in return to mound

February 15th, 2025

Anthony Castrovince

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- “Oh my God, Biebs!”

Austin Hedges voiced what a lot of people on-hand were thinking as he strolled into the bullpen area to catch Shane Bieber on Saturday morning.

Here was the Guardians’ ace, who doubled as their key offseason acquisition, making the most significant step yet in his recovery from Tommy John surgery by throwing off a mound for the very first time.

“I have no idea where it’s going,” Bieber jokingly warned his batterymate.

Fear not. In this 15-pitch session, it went directly to the catcher, as intended. And Bieber’s velocity -- in the 87-89 mph range -- was a tick or two higher than he anticipated at this nascent stage of his mound work.

He looked good, in other words.

“Like riding a bike,” a smiling Bieber said afterward.

Bieber has a lot of reasons to smile right now. The 2020 AL Cy Young winner is on the doorstep not just of his anticipated Major League return but also fatherhood. His wife, Kara, will give birth to the couple’s first child -- a boy -- any day now. And so Bieber has been immersed in all things medical, both the patient recovery process from surgery and the birthing classes he’s attended with his bride.

“Kara's awesome, she's badass, and so her having the approach and the mentality and the calmness that she does and the confidence that she does rubs off on me,” Bieber said. “It will be surreal, that whole experience. But it’s very exciting. We’re introducing a lot of change, so I’m happy that this is not one of them.”

He said “this” while pointing to the ground in the Guardians’ clubhouse -- a place he chose to return to in free agency despite there being more lucrative opportunities elsewhere.

Rather than placing his value on an upfront payday, the 29-year-old Bieber prioritized continuity in his recovery process and working with people -- the training staff and the pitching staff guided by Carl Willis -- that he is comfortable with. He signed a modest one-year, $10 million contract, with a $16 million player option for 2026.

“I guess the temptation, or whatever you want to call it, was different clubs offering different things,” he said. “But for me, you work so hard and, in baseball, it takes a long time to get to free agency. ‘What does that get you? What does that afford you? Is it more money you want?’

“Obviously, it depends on what situation you're in. My situation is a little bit different. Free agency afforded me the privilege to be able to choose from various different offers, and Cleveland offered so many intangibles that other clubs just couldn't match -- with the people, my teammates, the rehab staff that already knows me and my situation well. All that, along with my family being comfortable, just meant a lot.”

The result, the Guards hope, is a seamless transition for the Biebs, who had to watch in support but also agony as this club achieved great things without him last year.

“I missed the [not fun] parts of the season, honestly,” Bieber said. “August? It sucks, man. It's hard. It’s not a contact sport, but it can be grueling in a bunch of different ways. I missed grinding through those days. And in my exit meeting, I just told the front office and Vogter [manager Stephen Vogt] and Carl that I felt like there was unfinished business here.”

After a 2024 season in which Cleveland reached the ALCS despite enormous roadblocks in their rotation (Bieber’s exit with the elbow ligament tear in just his second start of the season chief among them), the return of a healthy Bieber at some point midyear (putting an exact date on it is fruitless at this point) could be one of those “Better Than Anything Available at the Trade Deadline” boosts.

Baby steps, though. That’s what Bieber has learned.

One year ago, he was confident that the work he had put in the previous offseason would return him to elite standing. Then he made the Opening Day start in cold Bay Area weather and had trouble gripping the slick baseball. Five days later, in Seattle, the ligament snapped, and, just like that, Bieber’s eagerly awaited walk year was over.

So he’s learned to be patient, relying on the wisdom of his rehab team much like he’ll soon (maybe by the time you’re done reading this) rely on the wisdom of the obstetrician and nurses who will bring his baby boy into the world.

“We’re confident,” he said. “We’re ready to go.”

And soon, he’ll be ready to go back to doing what he loves.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1890827444921503906

Shane discusses his re-hab effort

https://www.mlb.com/guardians/video/sha ... en-session

Anthony Castrovince has been a reporter for MLB.com since 2004.

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José Ramírez is the No. 9 Player Right Now

HIGHLIGHTS

https://www.mlb.com/video/jose-ramirez- ... -right-now




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that's a great vote of confidence in Jose from the baseball world at large.

Greetings from the land of Ohio ballclubs and broken-down airplanes: beautiful Goodyear, Ariz.! I’m Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com, bridging the transition from Mandy Bell, who is movin’ on up to do big things in youth baseball content for MLB, to our new Guardians beat reporter, who will be announced very soon. I covered the Cleveland club from 2006-2010. But today we’re not going to talk about the past (such as the Jason Michaels/David Dellucci left-field platoon or Mike Rouse’s chances of cracking the Opening Day roster). We’re going to talk about a huge piece of the Guardians’ future.

Australia is a grounding place for Travis Bazzana. He goes to his native country during the holidays to decompress. To walk along the beach. To take the family dog -- a border collie/Labrador mix named Rebel -- to the park. To relax after the long baseball year.

But Bazzana’s trip home this offseason was a little different, because this was his first time Down Under since he had been taken over everybody else in the MLB Draft after a standout career at Oregon State University. And the weight of being Australia’s first baseball player selected in the first round -- let alone No. 1 overall -- hit the 22-year-old Bazzana when he was asked to speak at a gathering of players and fans of the Sydney Blue Sox, the Australian Baseball League team he played for from 2018 to 2021.






“People came out to see me, to get autographs, to listen to me speak,” Bazzana says. “It was special to see the impact and know that young players there have someone to look up to.”

Here in his first professional Spring Training, where he’s working out among the big leaguers as a member of the Guardians’ “depth camp” roster, Bazzana is not put on such a pedestal. Sure, he might be carrying the lofty “1-1” label and ranked as the No. 10 prospect in the game per MLB Pipeline. But on the back fields, fielding fungoes and taking batting practice off a machine, he’s just another player getting his reps in.

“It’s a learning game,” he says, “but it comes back to having the right respect for yourself, for others in the game and carrying yourself with energy and intention.”

If Bazzana sounds like a thoughtful young man, it’s because he is. This reporter caught up with him at Single-A Lake County last summer, shortly after the Draft, with the intention of writing a feature story. It instead became a straight Q&A because there was really nothing I needed to add to Bazzana’s thorough responses about his mental preparation and pregame routine.






The Guardians’ chief decision-makers were similarly blown away by their pre-Draft meeting with Bazzana. In a pool that did not feature a runaway No. 1 in the mold of a Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg, Bazzana asserted himself not just with his play but his process.

So here’s our first look at that process in Spring Training. Make no mistake that just because the Guards have a host of more immediate options to sort through for their second-base opening doesn’t mean you won’t see Bazzana in Cactus League play.

“It’ll be fun for everybody,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “Anytime you’re a 1-1, you know there’s going to be eyes on you. But he doesn’t seem to let that affect him. He’s a very curious learner, he’s highly motivated to be great, and he’s a sponge.”

Bazzana learned a lot from the two months he spent at Lake County last summer. He struggled with the adjustment at first but soon caught on to help the Captains win the Midwest League crown. He finished with a .238/.369/.396 slash in 27 games.






“While I still had an enjoyable first month, I was scrapping,” he said. “When I stepped in the box, I didn’t have it. That’s just the truth. What I learned was you’re always going to be put in different environments in baseball. You might get traded or sign with a new team. There’s so many different things that are external. So you have to come back to the things you can control. Once I got my feet under me and got back to the routines I trusted, I played more freely and everything came along.”

It will be fascinating to see how quickly it comes along in 2025. With the way prospects move in today’s game, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Guards’ No. 1 pick from 2024 joins their big league club by the end of 2025.

That would be a big deal not just for this organization but all of Australian baseball.

“When I play freely and am playing with that edge of wanting to win and playing for the guy next to me, good things happen,” Bazzana said. “I’m not saying this in an arrogant way, but, if I’m doing that, there’s not going to be much stopping me. … If I can do that every day, it’s not going to take long.”






DOUGIE FRESH

While we’re on the subject of the future faces of the Guards, you are hereby advised to pay particular attention to left-hander Doug Nikhazy in this camp. The 6-foot, 210-pound lefty was added to the 40-man roster over the winter, but his first exposure to the big leaguers actually came last fall.

“He came up and threw against us in the layoff [between the regular season and the ALDS against the Tigers],” Vogt said. “He’s a driven, fiery, feisty young guy. I mean, just competitive.”

Nikhazy split his 2024 season between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, compiling a 2.98 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP after significantly reducing his walk rate. The Guardians’ rotation picture is very much in flux, and Nikhazy could push himself into the picture this year. He also has the arsenal and temperament to potentially be a bullpen option.

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that's a great vote of confidence in Jose from the baseball world at large.

Just reviewing that list, Steven Kwan clocked in at #66. Excellent!

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