Ranking Cleveland Guardians starting pitching options for the MLB Playoffs

Let’s not build a bridge before we've seen the water, but how can Cleveland fans not be excited about Guardians baseball? With eight games remaining, the Guardians are within two games of a playoff spot. Should Cleveland clinch a playoff spot, Stephen Vogt will have tough decisions to make, cutting his starting rotation from six to three for the opening series.

If the playoffs started today, here is where confidence would lie with each starting pitcher taking the bump in a do-or-die game.

No. 1 Gavin Williams

When it’s time for playoff baseball, you have to bank on pedigree. Williams is the only pitcher on the roster Cleveland selected in the first round, and he’s finally begun to turn a corner in the second half. Since August 1st, Williams has been one of baseball’s best. In nine starts, Williams is 5-1 with a 2.10 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 51.1 innings pitched.

Williams has allowed just four earned runs over his last four starts. While Williams isn’t paid like the Guardians ace, he certainly has taken the reins on the spot.

No. 2 Joey Cantillo

This may be a tad controversial, but Cantillo has come into his own since being stretched out to start. Cantillo has been every bit as dominant as Williams. In five starts since August 9th, Cantillo has allowed four earned runs (1.21 ERA). Cantillo’s changeup, which he’s thrown 4% more often in 2025 compared to 2024, has been plain ridiculous.

Cantillo owns a 48.9% whiff rate on his changeup, good for the best in the sport, edging out Tarik Skubal. Cantillo has been too hot to not start meaningful baseball games in October.

No. 3 Tanner Bibee

This is the toughest one. Bibee will very likely start Game 1 of the Guardians first series should they reach October, at the bare minimum he will be tapped for the second game. How much do you trust the process over results?

Bibee has struggled with the home run ball and has faced inconsistencies getting ahead of hitters. Bibee has the worst ERA of all six starters since August 1st, but has looked more like past versions of himself over his last few starts. Bibee has struck out 21 batters and allowed just three runs over his last three starts. Bibee’s Thursday start, where he went toe to toe with Tarik Skubal in an important game, should give Vogt enough reason to give the recently extended pitcher the nod for Game 1 if he feels Tanner is the best candidate.

"He's the captain of our starting pitchers."@BaergaCarlos & @gabbgoudy have seen strong signs from Tanner Bibee.

presented by @FanDuel pic.twitter.com/lkTCMzUkUV
— Carlos Baerga Show (@BaergaShow) September 20, 2025

No. 4 Parker Messick

Clevelanders love a good Jaret Wright story. Right? Like Cantillo, Messick has wow’ed with a ridiculous changeup. Since debuting, Messick has started six games and held opponents to just eight earned runs.

Messick’s true calling card? Control.

The rookie has walked just five batters over six starts. One of the biggest keys in elimination baseball games is limiting baserunners to keep solo home runs from turning into multi-run shots. Messick’s low walk rate makes him a prime candidate for a “you know what you’re going to get” kind of start.

No. 5 Slade Cecconi

Slade Cecconi had inconsistencies once joining the starting rotation, and his underlying metrics aren’t awe-inspiring. Cecconi gets fired up and works his way out of jams, and that means more than any blue-colored box on Baseball Savant. Cecconi was masterful in Saturday's win over the Minnesota Twins.

He has threw seven scoreless innings, allowing three baserunners and striking out eight batters. Cecconi carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning earlier this month against the Royals. Cecconi might not get the opportunity to start a playoff game this season, but his September has given some promise to the Josh Naylor trade.

No. 6 Logan Allen

Logan Allen has cemented himself as a healthy backend of the rotation option for the Guardians, but will surely come out of the bullpen if he makes the playoff roster. Allen has not started in ten days but was scheduled for game No. 2 of the doubleheader. In Allen’s last start, he allowed just one run to the Royals.