Guardians Pitcher Stresses Need To Make This Change During Starts

With the back of the Cleveland Guardians rotation having plenty of unknowns, Joey Cantillo has a tremendous opportunity to prove he deserves a spot on the Opening Day roster as a starter.

However, the pitcher is still showing some flaws in his spring appearances. One issue, which Cantillo is well aware of, is his lack of getting ahead in counts and zone command.

This is something the lefty stressed he needs to do better following a recent Cactus League appearance.

"Obviously, I didn't start the way I wanted to. I've just got to do a little better job getting myself in the zone and making some adjustments faster," said Cantillo after his most recent start.

"Obviously, my job is to pound the strike zone, get out of those innings quickly, and be able to pitch deep into games. So, I've just got to continue to work on that and do a better job."

Joey Cantillo throws a pitch — Mar 1, 2025; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Joey Cantillo (54) throws against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

For whatever it's worth, Cantillo has pitched 6.0 innings so far this spring and given up four runs and seven hits, struck out six batters, and issued six walks.

Cantillo still has a ton of potential to be a productive big-league pitcher. He has an incredible curveball and a developing fastball, which could provide a solid one-two punch in his aresenal.

The lefty also has a new path to Cleveland's Opening Day roster as a reliever with the recent injury news to Erik Sabrowski.

However, if Cantillo continues to struggle with his command in the Cactus League, the Guardians may opt to option him to Triple-A until he can prove he can control a count.

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