Guardians Executive Discusses State Of Cleveland's Pitching Staff

The Cleveland Guardians have historically been one of the top teams in terms of pitching development and depth.

Their starting pitching was once again a critical talking point during the 2024 season, but not for the reasons it has been in the past.

Cleveland had the fourth-worst starter ERA (4.40) in the American League last season, and this was their Achilles heel all season.

The Guardians' front office has made many moves this offseason to bolster their pitching depth, but there are still some questions about the overall staff.

Cleveland's general manager, Mike Chernoff, recently appeared on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM and discussed Shane Bieber, the bullpen, and the state of the Guardians' pitching staff.

"You know, our bullpen had been so strong last year. Like, a historically good bullpen, especially the back four in Emmanuel Clase, Hunter Gaddis, Cade Smith, and Tim Herrin, just pitched exceptionally well last year. But, they had to pick up the slack from the starting rotation," said Chernoff.

"We had Tanner Bibee who had a really solid year last year, but a lot of ups and downs from other guys. Especially with losing Cobb and Boyd at the end of the year this year, we felt that it was important to bring in a crop of young guys, and that's [Luis] Ortiz, [Slade] Cecconi, and some other guys in our system that could compete for spots, but have some real upside to them."

Emmanuel Clase (48) throws a pitch — Oct 12, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) pitches in in the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers during game five of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Chernoff continued by emphasizing the importance of the team's bringing back a former Cy Young winner and leader, Bieber, both on the field and in the locker room.

"We're really excited both about Shane's clubhouse presence and everything he brings. But also, as he returns from the Tommy John surgery, what he can obviously do on the field for us.

Cleveland's rotation and the bullpen certainly have unknowns and question marks with them heading into the 2025 season.

However, as Chernoff alludes to, the Guardians have also set themselves up to have options and depth throughout the season, which was missing a year ago.

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