Cleveland Baseball Insider

Three Guardians Pitchers With Silently Strong Stats

The Cleveland Guardians have a few pitchers who are having strong starts to the 2025 season.
Mar 30, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Joey Cantillo (54) pitches during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Mar 30, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Joey Cantillo (54) pitches during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

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The Cleveland Guardians' pitching has been a center of attention over the last few seasons, and not always for the best reasons.

It's no secret the Guardians have multiple struggling pitchers on their roster right now, but they also have some who are quietly flourishing.

Here are three pitchers with silently strong stats.

Paul Sewald

Paul Sewald's tenure with the Guardians didn't get off to a great start. He gave up a pair of runs in less than an inning of work against the Royals, sparking fear that the veteran reliever may be facing some regression.

However, since that appearance in Kansas City on March 29, Sewald has been lights out of the bullpen.

Since the calendar flipped to April, the 34-year-old has given up just four hits and one earned run in 6.1 innings of work. Sewald has also knocked his season WHIP down to 0.88.

Relievers who don't always throw the ball in the ninth inning don't always get a lot of credit, but Sewald has been quite a stable presence out of Cleveland's bullpen and deserves some recognition.

Paul Sewald throws a pitch
Apr 8, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Paul Sewald (34) throws a pitch during the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Joey Cantillo

Speaking of another reliever who has given the Guardians some solid production out of the bullpen, Joey Cantillo has looked strong in his early outings in 2025.

The lefty may be a starter by nature, but he's still silently found some success in this new role as a reliever.

Cantillo has appeared in six games this season and has a 1.80 ERA.

The most encouraging piece of Cantillo's stats is how well he's been able to command the zone early in the season. Stephen Vogt always raves about how good of a pitcher Cantillo can be when he's throwing strikes, and the lefty is currently demonstrating that.

Cantillo has a strikeout rate of nearly 29 percent this season and recently struck out four batters in Cleveland's series finale against the Royals.

Jakob Junis

Cleveland's signing of Jakob Junis wasn't a blockbuster move, but it's certainly proving to be a positive one early in the season.

The dynamic veteran pitcher has stepped into multiple situations and helped the Guardians get out of some trouble, whether it's runners on base or eating up multiple innings.

Junis has pitched in 8.0 innings over eight games this season and has yet to allow an earned run. He's also rarely allowed runners on base, posting a 0.88 WHIP early in the season.

Pitchers with Junis' role don't always get praise, but he's certainly been a key piece to Cleveland's early success.

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