Guardians

Guardians could face pitching depth test as Tanner Bibee exits opener with shoulder tightness

Published: Mar. 27, 2026, 3:23 p.m.

By Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians’ season-opening victory over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday was tempered by a concerning development that could test the team’s admittedly thin pitching depth: starter Tanner Bibee left the game after five innings due to shoulder tightness.

Bibee, making his first opening day start, struck out seven batters but allowed three solo home runs before departing before throwing a pitch in the sixth inning. The 24-year-old right-hander told reporters after the game that his shoulder wasn’t feeling right during his outing.

“It would start hurting, it would come and go, the pain would come and go,” Bibee told reporters. He explained that before the sixth inning, “It got to a point where he couldn’t give his best effort,” beat writer Paul Hoynes said. “He didn’t want to hurt himself or the team.”

The timing of the injury is particularly problematic for Cleveland’s pitching staff. Hoynes, speaking on the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, emphasized the seriousness of the situation.

“This is kind of a serious moment,” Hoynes said. “Their starting pitching depth is thin, it’s not that deep.”

The Guardians have not yet announced their next course of action. The team is waiting to see how Bibee feels before determining whether to order an MRI or place him on the injured list. Bibee reportedly felt better after the game, but the organization has not made a decision on his status.

Bibee’s next scheduled start would come against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Hoynes speculated that the team would likely take a cautious approach given the circumstances.

“If there’s any hint of Bibbe still being hurt, I can’t see them risking pitching him against the Dodgers this early in the season and maybe really have it develop into a really serious problem,” Hoynes said.

If Bibee does land on the injured list, the Guardians would likely turn to Logan Allen as the most obvious internal replacement option. Allen, who lost the fifth rotation spot to Parker Messick during spring training, “did not have that greatest spring,” according to Hoynes, but would be “the number one choice” to fill in.

The situation is complicated by extreme temperature shifts between Seattle, where the opener was played in 50-degree weather, and Los Angeles, where temperatures are expected to reach the 90s for the upcoming series. These fluctuations between Arizona spring training and the regular season schedule may have played a role in Bibee’s discomfort, though the exact cause remains unknown.

Despite the concerning circumstances, there may be a silver lining in how Bibee handled the situation. Rather than attempting to pitch through pain, the young starter showed maturity by alerting the training staff immediately.

Podcast host Joe Noga noted this represented growth for a pitcher who previously fought through cramping issues and argued with the team about ending his season early with a hip injury last year.

“Not in any way questioning his toughness, but maybe a sign of growth there that know, a kid who probably would have tried to pitch through something in the past like this recognizes that it’s better to live to fight another day,” Noga said.

Bibee finished last season tied for the team lead in wins with 12, and had already established himself as a key piece of Cleveland’s rotation. His extended absence would force the Guardians to rely on their limited depth far earlier than anticipated in what already projects to be a challenging season for starting pitching.

The team expects to have more information in the coming days as they continue to monitor Bibee’s condition.

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Guardians Give Injury Update After Tanner Bibee’s Early Exit

Tommy Wild

Partner

Tanner Bibee was named the Cleveland Guardians Opening Day starter for the 2025 season, but didn’t take the mound due to falling ill.

Thursday was supposed to be Bibee’s redemption outing as he earned the honor as the team’s Opening Day starter, but he couldn’t get through the entire start.

Bibee went out to the mound for the sixth inning, but clearly felt discomfort during his warmups.

Steven Vogt, accompanied by Cleveland trainer Jeff Desjardins, walked out to the mound, and after a brief conversation, Bibee walked off the mound and exited the start prematurely.

It was unclear exactly what forced Bibee to leave the game early, but the team announced later on in the game that the starting pitcher exited with right shoulder inflammation.

Manager Stephen Vogt said after the game that this was a new injury for Bibee. Cleveland’s skipper also mentioned the injury wasn’t something that occurred on a single pitch or play, but something he was dealing with and feeling throughout the start.

“He was examined. He's strong. He's feeling good,” said Vogt after the game.

“We just have to see how he feels in the next couple of days coming out of it, but definitely the right call for him to let us know he was feeling it… As he was throwing his warm-ups, he felt it was enough to come get us. And he's tough and he's throwing all these guys throw through so much discomfort. So I'm really glad he didn't try to push through it."

Vogt also pointed out that Bibee “hasn’t pitched in this kind of weather” this year, which is a fair point. The temperature was routinely hitting triple-digits out in Arizona, while the first pitch temperature in Seattle was 52 degrees.

Before his night came to an end, Bibee gave up three earned runs (all home runs) in 5.0 innings of work, while striking out seven hitters and issuing two walks. Bibee faced some adversity early on, but didn’t let those solo home runs unravel his start.

Hopefully, this isn’t an injury that keeps Bibee out too long.

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Rhys Hoskins Already Has A Career Milestone With Guardians

March 27, 2026

By Mike Battaglino

The Cleveland Guardians’ season opener went just about as well as anyone could have hoped, other than a potential setback for starting pitcher Tanner Bibee. They completed a 6-4 victory against the Seattle Mariners with notable performances by two newcomers to the lineup.

Somewhat overshadowed by the two home runs from rookie Chase DeLauter was the three-hit Guardians debut by Rhys Hoskins. Batting sixth as the starting first baseman, Hoskins had two singles, a walk, and a very well-struck double.

With that extra-base hit in his first Cleveland at-bat, Hoskins already has a career milestone with the Guardians, as it was the hardest hit ball of his MLB career.

“Welcome to Cleveland Rhys Hoskins! This double is the hardest hit ball of Rhys Hoskins’ MLB career (112.3 mph). Talk about starting your Cleveland tenure with a bang,” Potosky posted on X.

Facing Mariners starter Logan Gilbert with one out in the top of the second, Hoskins doubled for his first hit in a Cleveland uniform. The drive down the left-field line into the corner impressively came on an 0-2 pitch.

Later in the game, Hoskins led off the fifth inning with a single and scored on a two-run double by Brayan Rocchio that gave Cleveland the lead. In the sixth, Hoskins singled, and in the eighth, he walked, ending his debut with a 1.000 batting average.

Hoskins was a bit surprisingly used at first base, with Kyle Manzardo serving as the DH, which was the opposite of the alignment that was used during most of spring training. Manager Stephen Vogt explained that by saying that Manzardo will be in the field a lot in the coming days, with more right-handed pitchers coming up, and the matchup against Gilbert was a good spot to get Hoskins into the lineup.

The 33-year-old was signed near the start of spring training after the Guardians failed to make any significant additions to their offense leading up to that point of the offseason, and though Hoskins did not hit a home run, the fact that he could reach a career-high exit velocity in his first at-bat of the season is an encouraging sign looking ahead.

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What to Expect From Gavin Williams in His 2026 Season Debut for the Guardians

Williams' 2025 campaign was by far the best of his career, making his 2026 season debut on Friday night even more important for him to continue building confidence and momentum

Cade Cracas

3 hours ago

All offseason, the Cleveland Guardians’ right-hander drew praise from national analysts, many of whom believe this could be the year he breaks out and enters the Cy Young conversation. On Friday, March 27, he’ll get his first opportunity to back that up, taking the mound against the Seattle Mariners in his season debut.

Earlier this offseason, manager Stephen Vogt highlighted that Williams was focused on having his best season yet.

“In the three years I've known Gavin, I've never seen him this focused or determined. He had a tremendous offseason,” Vogt said. “The last few months [of 2025], I don't think we could have drawn up a better stretch than what Gavin Williams did for us.

"I’m really thrilled to see him come in ready to go. But there is a different determination about him. He wants to be one of the best. He knows he's one of the best, and that's a really good feeling for us.”

With the Guardians already securing a win on Opening Day, Williams will take the ball with a chance to keep that momentum rolling. Against a Mariners lineup that showed its power with four home runs the night prior, his ability to command the strike zone and mix pitches will be key.

A Comfortable Spring

It wasn't an eye-popping spring for Williams, but that may be a good thing.

Across five starts, he showed strong command and efficiency, striking out 19 batters while walking just two. He finished with a 1.19 WHIP, consistently working ahead in counts and limiting free passes.

More importantly, it wasn’t just the numbers that looked good, but his pitching arsenal as well.

Williams has traditionally leaned on his four-seam fastball, curveball and sweeper, occasionally mixing in a cutter and sinker. However, those have been used less than 15% of the time in years past. One of the biggest developments late last season, and something that carried into spring, was the increased effectiveness of his sinker.

He is expected to utilize it far more often in 2026, especially as a way to keep opposing batters on their toes. That would give him five pitches he's very comfortable using.

Against a heavy-hitting Mariners squad that bashed four solo home runs last night off starter Tanner Bibee, Williams will likely stretch the strike zone and rotate through different pitches to find what can best keep the opposition at bay.

Williams' Strong Finish to 2025

Much of the optimism surrounding him stems from what he did at the end of last season during a stretch where the Guardians climbed all the way back to win the American League Central.

In his regular-season finale, he pitched through six innings on the mound, allowing just four hits and two earned runs, all while striking out an impressive 12 batters. The Guardians went on to win that game, 5-2, pushing Williams' overall record to 12-5 as a starting pitcher.

That type of performance wasn't very surprising, though, as the back-half of the campaign was where he thrived.

Just a month earlier, Williams had nearly come away with a no-hitter in a game against the New York Mets.

He had gone through eight innings of action and was approaching 130 pitches when superstar Juan Soto spoiled his potential historic performance. He crushed a solo home run with two outs to go in the game, ending what would've been the Guardians' first no-hitter since Len Barker's perfect game way back in 1981.

“It didn’t matter if I went to 140 pitches," he said at the time. "I would have done it anyway. It was pretty special to be out there. You never know when that’s gonna happen again.”

He finished the outing with just one hit and four walks given up while striking out six batters across 8.2 innings of action.

To many, it was obvious that Williams had emerged as arguably the Guardians’ most effective starter, posting the lowest ERA among the rotation.

If he can start off the year with the momentum he built at the end of 2025, while leaning into his calm and poised demeanor that he's known for, Cleveland will be in good hands as they look to win a game that would at least clinch a series split against the Mariners.

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Two Big Takeaways From the Cleveland Guardians' Opening Day Win Over Seattle

The Guardians were able to sneak away with a 6-4 victory over the Mariners in the first game of the 2026 MLB regular season.

Cade Cracas

10 hours ago

The Cleveland Guardians have done it.

After weeks of speculating how Opening Day would go, especially with many players still being so new to the organization, the Guardians' roster banded together and were able to secure a victory.

On Thursday, March 26, the Guardians were able to rally behind outfield prospect Chase DeLauter to win, 6-4, in the team's first game of the 2026 MLB regular season. While many of the headlines are being dominated by DeLauter’s stellar two-home run performance, there are two other major takeaways from the Guardians’ outing.

Is Tanner Bibee Going to Be Okay?

Although Bibee gave up three home runs in his first game on the mound in 2026, he actually looked alright. He was utilizing a lot of different pitches to try and spread out his arsenal, with his final pitch count coming in at 78 on six different types of pitches.

His final line of Thursday night came in at four hits, three home runs and three earned runs given up, while walking two batters. However, he did strike out seven, showing good command when he wasn't tossing a heater right down the middle.

But when it looked like he was settling into the game as he hovered around 80 pitches, something didn't feel right.

The Cleveland coaching staff came out and immediately pulled him out of the game, turning to the bullpen to try and keep the game close. Fortunately, they would, but taking a starter out of the first game of the year due to injury is never a positive sign.

After the game concluded, Bibee spoke to the media and answered questions about how he was feeling.

“It was kind of off and on the entire time, and I think just kind of got to a point where… I felt like I couldn't really battle through it and give my best stuff," Bibee said. "So, I mean, I feel like it got to a point where I didn't want to hurt myself or hurt the team in turn.

“...I had all my tests in there, and I think I was strong in a good majority of them. So I feel like it's just… when I wake up tomorrow, see how it feels, if it feels worse or feels better.”

Some Tanner Bibee post game quotes on his exit due to right shoulder inflammation:

“I feel pretty good, obviously frustrated. But, I mean, I feel like I just didn't feel great on the mound during those warm ups, but a little better, so.”

“It was kind of off and on the entire… https://t.co/vXIA3DpVS1

— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) March 27, 2026
The Guardians will likely play it safe with the 27-year-old, as with the season just starting, they'd hate to lose out on one of the most important members of the starting rotation.

With the Guardians still amid a four-game set against the Mariners, followed by a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team cannot afford to be without Bibee. There may be a chance, if he has to end up on the injured list, that the Guardians jump right back to Logan Allen in Triple-A to come help out.

Rhys Hoskins Looked Great

Many questioned the Guardians' decision to go out and sign a right-handed first baseman this offseason. Not because he was a righty, something that the Guardians needed, but rather because over the past couple of seasons he had been struggling to find consistency.

Over the course of the 2024 and 2025 campaigns with the Milwaukee Brewers, he had slashed .223/.314/.418 for an OPS of .732. It wasn't necessarily good batting, but the Guardians saw something they liked.

And fortunately for them, it has already paid off.

In the Guardians' win, Hoskins was one of the players who, like DeLauter, provided the team with an extra spark at the plate. He went 3-for-3, with two singles and a double, all while also being able to score a run.

He also anchored first base well, showing very little signs of issues on the fielding side of his game.

Cleveland desperately needed a reliable No. 2 next to Kyle Manzardo, and it seems like they may have found their guy.

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Guardians

Guardians retire championship belt for Medieval Times sword and helmet

Updated: Mar. 27, 2026, 10:50 p.m.|Published: Mar. 27, 2026, 10:29 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

SEATTLE — The Guardians have retired the championship belt that has been awarded to the star of the game since former Cleveland pitcher Tyler Beede purchased it in the spring of 2024.

Austin Hedges, the presenter of the belt, felt it was dated. A change was needed because the Guardians have new priorities this year.

When the Guardians held a team event at Medieval Times in Scottsdale, Arizona, during spring training, a new idea emerged. Kyle Manzardo purchased a sword and Tanner Bibee a helmet.

When rookie Chase DeLauter hit two home runs in his first official major league game Thursday night against the Mariners, he donned the helmet twice in the dugout. After the game, Hedges presented the sword to DeLauter.

“These little things matter,” said Hedges. “It’s one of the few times we’re all in a group waiting to see who had a really good game. It’s something you can do as a whole group in a very individualized sport.”

There was no surprise about who received the sword Thursday night. DeLauter went 3 for 5 with two homers and three runs. He’s just the fifth player in Cleveland history to homer in his first official major league at-bat. In MLB history, he’s one of seven players to homer twice in his first official major league game.

“The sword is the new belt,” said Hedges. “Eventually things were getting dragged out with the belt. It just didn’t hit the same and you don’t want something to feel forced.

“I mean the belt was our identity the last two years when we won the division. We have higher expectations, so there’s certain things we have to change. We’re trying to be more offensive and win the damn World Series.

“It’s a similar concept, but a different idea.”

Now Hedges has to work on his delivery when presenting the award. He was like a carnival barker or WWE hype man in presenting the belt.

Who knows, he might have to start using an English accent or dressing as Henry VIII.

“I’ll figure something out,” said Hedges. “I didn’t go great Thursday but there was no drama to it. Everybody already knew who won it.”

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Guardians' Jose Ramirez could finally get rid of 'overlooked' label with four milestones in 2026

Matt Sullivan

23 minutes ago

The Cleveland Guardians in 2026 might not have a ton of hope for a deep postseason run thanks to lower spending and holes all across the roster.

But, if there was one thing to look forward to, other than Chase DeLauter continuing his incredibly hot start all year long, it would be what Jose Ramirez could do this season.

ESPN's Bradford Doolittle believes that Ramirez can reach three milestones this season, all of which are very doable, and in doing so, Ramirez could finally shed the "overlooked" label and enter the public conscience as a sure-fire future Hall of Famer.

How Jose Ramirez can finally shake 'overlooked' label in 2026

"There are a lot of milestones Jose Ramirez will hit this season if he is healthy, and a number of franchise leaderboards he's climbing," Doolittle writes. "Maybe if Ramirez reaches some of these numbers, more people will take notice of what a special player he has been for so many years. Somehow, he still seems overlooked."

The milestones and records that are noteworthy to follow for Ramirez in 2026 involve the Guardians franchise record for total bases, with significant milestones for home runs, RBIs, and stolen bases all within reach.

Ramirez has 3009 total bases in his career, and with 160 games to go in 2026, he only needs to record 192 to break the current record. Considering he has well surpassed that total every season since 2016 (other than 2020), that record is likely for Ramirez this year.

But that's not all he's chasing this season. Ramirez is currently at 399 doubles; he needs just one more to reach 400 for his career. That will happen, potentially before the calendar turns over to April this season.

Ramirez is also sitting at 285 home runs in his career. With just 15 home runs, a total he's reached every year since 2017, he should be able to reach 300 homers in his 14th season.

Likely on the way to such a milestone, he would also go past 1,000 RBIs for his career, which he's currently at 951, only 49 from such a remarkable milestone.

Last, and certainly not least, is his stolen base total. He's at 288 coming into 2026, and with 12, he'd reach 300 for his career.

It's well within reason to believe that a typically great Ramirez season would have the future Hall of Famer close out 2026 with the Guardians franchise record for most total bases in a career, while also reaching 400 doubles, 300 home runs, 1,000 RBIs, and 300 stolen bases.

If he could reach all of those totals, as Doolittle noted, hopefully, fans from around baseball who don't watch the Guardians closely could finally get an idea that Ramirez is one of the best players in the sport currently.

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Chase DeLauter Joined Historic Company On Friday

March 28, 2026

By Mike Battaglino

Chase DeLauter’s regular-season arrival with the Cleveland Guardians could not be going any better. The rookie outfielder is far exceeding the hype as he is hitting home runs at an unprecedented pace.

After launching two on Opening Day against the Seattle Mariners, which made him just the seventh player to do that in his first regular-season game, DeLauter followed that up with another homer in his first at-bat of his second game. That put him in an even more exclusive group.

According to Sarah Langs and the Elias Sports Bureau, DeLauter has made history with his strong start, as he is just the fourth player to hit three home runs in his first two regular-season games, along with Trevor Story, Joe Cunningham and Charlie Reilly.

“Chase DeLauter is the fourth player in MLB history with 3 home runs in his first two career regular season games, joining: 2016 Trevor Story; 1954 Joe Cunningham; 1889 Charlie Reilly,” Langs wrote on X.

In the opener, DeLauter hit a solo home run off of Mariners starter Logan Gilbert in the first inning and capped his big debut with a ninth-inning solo homer against reliever Cooper Criswell in Cleveland’s 6-4 win. In the next game, DeLauter hit another first-inning solo homer, this one against George Kirby, but he could not repeat his feat and set a record with another one in the Guardians’ 5-1 loss.

This is just the latest in a line of historic achievements by DeLauter in just three MLB games. Last year, he became one of just six players in history to make his MLB debut in a postseason game, when he was promoted to take part in Cleveland’s AL Wild Card Series against the Detroit Tigers.

Though he went just 1-for-6 with a single in two appearances there, his potential for stardom was evident. He proved those believers right with an exceptional spring training performance that included three home runs in 14 games, and he has managed to continue that explosion into the regular season.

DeLauter is the linchpin to the Guardians’ plan to generate offensive improvement from within the organization. He can be seen as their major offseason addition after failing to add any significant hitters from the outside.

If he can avoid injury and keep this up, that plan will work out far better than anyone could have dreamed.

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Guardians See Familiar Issue From Gavin Williams

March 28, 2026

By Andres Chavez

The Cleveland Guardians fell 5-1 to the Seattle Mariners on Friday night, as George Kirby was virtually flawless on the mound for the home team. The only real damage the righty allowed was a solo home run by the red-hot Chase DeLauter.

Gavin Williams started the game for the Guardians and was actually holding the Mariners scoreless during his first three innings. A three-run home run by Cole Young in the fourth gave the Mariners control of the game from that point forward, though.

Williams, who was Cleveland’s best pitcher last year with a brilliant 3.06 ERA and 173 strikeouts, ended up limiting Seattle to those three runs in five innings. It wasn’t a disaster by any means, but it wasn’t good enough.

The problem with Williams was, unsurprisingly, walks. He led the league in bases on balls in 2025 with 83, and was at it again on Friday, giving away a whopping six vs. Seattle.

He conceded just two hits, but one of them was a homer. Six walks and extra-base hits are just not a good combination if you are a pitcher.

Williams liked his stuff on Friday, but conceded that he had issues throwing strikes.

“(I) felt good. I was just everywhere with the ball tonight, more with the heater. I was spraying the heater the whole day.”

Williams got 15 swings and misses, a healthy number by any standards, but strikeouts mean little if the pitcher always gets himself in trouble with walks. And the right-hander knows it.

Williams fastball got him five whiffs, which is good, but he only got a single called strike with it. His control and command of the pitch were just off all night.

He appears to be in the right state of mind to leave this one behind him, though.

“I think there’s good and there’s bad in every game. I’m not going to think about the bad anymore. Got myself a little roll for me when I take my cleats off. I’m done with the bad part. So I’m only going to look at the good from the game… during college. I think it’s a good way to look at it. You don’t always want to look at the past. You want to go forward with everything,”

he said, per team insider Mason Horodyski.

Every pitcher struggles from time to time, but only the elite ones have enough mental strength and resilience to completely forget about a bad game and focus on the next one.

Expect Williams to be much sharper next week, when he makes his second start of the young 2026 MLB season. He still boasts elite potential if he can harness his stuff.


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Stephen Vogt Reveals Encouraging Update About Tanner Bibee

March 28, 2026

By Jimmy Swartz

The Cleveland Guardians may have avoided a major scare in their starting rotation.

After leaving his Opening Day start with right shoulder inflammation, Tanner Bibee is already trending in the right direction, according to manager Stephen Vogt.

Bibee exited the opener after five innings in Seattle, raising immediate concern given his importance to Cleveland’s rotation. He allowed three runs on four hits while striking out seven, but it was clear something was not quite right with him.

Now, the early update is encouraging.

“He’s doing much better today. Obviously, he was feeling it, but his exam was strong. He’s feeling better today,” Vogt said. “So we’re going to go day to day with his progression. The plan is obviously, if everything goes well, he makes his next start. But it’s very much a day to day update on how he’s feeling.”

Vogt added that, as things currently stand, Bibee is expected to take the mound again soon.

“As of right now, Tanner’s making his start on Tuesday. We’ll see how the next few days go.”

This is great news. There were already questions about the rotation heading into the season, and losing a key arm this early would have only amplified those concerns.

Instead, the Guardians appear to have avoided the worst-case scenario.

Early in the season, teams tend to be conservative with any shoulder-related discomfort, especially with a pitcher expected to carry a heavy workload. Even if Bibee does make his next start, his performance and velocity will be watched closely.

What initially looked like a potentially concerning injury has turned into a manageable, day-to-day situation. And if Bibee continues to progress, the Guardians could have their rotation leader right back on the mound without missing time.

That is about as good of an outcome as Cleveland could have hoped for.

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Guardians Have High Hopes For Joey Cantillo In 2026

March 28, 2026

By Andres Chavez

The Cleveland Guardians are set to face the Seattle Mariners for the third time in three days in a busy opening week schedule. They will do it with Joey Cantillo on the mound, who is set to face one of the most underrated pitchers in the American League: Bryan Woo.

There is no reason why Cantillo can’t be considered one of the most underrated pitchers in the league himself one day if he works hard and improves his fastball. He definitely has that potential.

In fact, you might very well argue that the lefty’s breakout actually started last year. Cantillo finished the 2025 campaign with a 3.21 ERA in 95.1 innings. He did it as a member of the Guardians’ six-man rotation that shook up the world and led a furious comeback in the AL Central standings in September.

Cantillo was brilliant in that last month, which is why we say his breakout started last year. In his last seven starts of the 2025 campaign, dating back to August 9, the southpaw posted a minuscule 1.59 ERA in 39.2 frames, with 36 punchouts.

After a rather mediocre spring, he hung four scoreless innings on the Arizona Diamondbacks in his most recent tune-up outing on Monday, with no walks, one hit, and six strikeouts. He is clearly ready to pick up right where he left off last year.

He will face a tough Mariners squad that ranked sixth in wRC+ vs. lefties last year, with a 108 mark. Cantillo, however, is not your typical southpaw.

His best pitch is a fantastic changeup, which actually plays better against righties. He had a 3.23 FIP vs. righties and a 4.47 mark vs. lefties in 2025.

In any case, he will have his hands full with the Mariners’ strong lineup, featuring the likes of Brendan Donovan, Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez, Josh Naylor, Randy Arozarena, Dominic Canzone, and others.

Cantillo’s fastball is a bit too hittable, but his curveball is actually an underrated weapon that he should be using more often. His elite extension helps the heater play well, though, or at least well enough.

If Cantillo can make at least some gains with his four-seamer, he could break through big-time in 2026. He already posted a brilliant 2.96 ERA as a starting pitcher last year, so he is definitely better than you think and could elevate his ceiling even more. Some would even say he has All-Star potential.

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Cleveland Guardians Rookie Reliever Shines in MLB Debut

Tommy Wild

Partner

Peyton Pallette made franchise history in his Cleveland Guardians and MLB debut.

Peyton Pallette had to earn a spot on the Cleveland Guardians’ roster during Spring Training. If he didn’t, he would’ve been sent back to the Chicago White Sox as part of being a Rule 5 Draft selection earlier in the offseason.

That said, Pallette did more than enough to prove he belongs in a big-league bullpen, and finally, on Friday evening, the former second-round pick made his MLB Debut.

Palette came into the game in the seventh inning and wasted no time getting his first career strikeout, punching out Brendan Donovan on five pitches. The next batter up was the AL MVP runner-up, Cal Raleigh, and he faced the same fate as the previous batter. Then, All-Star outfielder Julio Rodriguez stepped to the plate, and Pallette forced him to fly out.

The Guardians' reliever stayed on for the eighth inning and pitched another one-two-three inning, forcing Josh Naylor, Randy Arozarena, and Luke Raley out on balls in play.

Taking a closer look at Pallette’s pitches, he primarily threw his fastball, which touched 97.5 mph, with the curveball and slider being his secondary pitches. The right-hander finished with four whiffs against some of the toughest hitters in baseball.

Pallette said that the moment of finally getting to pitch in a big-league game meant the world to him, and credited his teammates and coaching staff for helping him feel ready and confident.

The 24-year-old not only shone in his first MLB outing, but also made a little bit of franchise history along the way as well.

Pallette became the first player in Cleveland history to pitch two or more perfect innings of relief since Horacio Pina in 1968. Yes, the same year as Cleveland’s last World Series title.

“That was really cool,” said Stephen Vogt on Pallette’s debut. “That’s not an easy three hitters to make your debut against, and he got through them quickly.”

Pallette’s sample size is still very small, but based on what the Guardians have seen from him in Spring Training and now in his big-league debut, they could be looking at a key member of this rotation for years to come.

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How the Cleveland Guardians’ Rotation Faces Early Questions After Rough First Starts

The Cleveland Guardians have already trotted out what are expected to be the team's two best starting pitchers, yet both struggled against the Seattle Mariners to begin the season.

Cade Cracas

3 hours ago

In this story:

Cleveland Guardians

You never expect perfection to begin a season.

But how starting pitchers Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee have started the 2026 campaign has raised some questions.

Through the first two games of the year against the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland's top rotation arms have shown flashes of their upsides, while also simultaneously revealing the same inconsistencies and issues that have followed them in the past.

With Williams and Bibee getting the opening starts on the mound to begin the year, the Guardians were counting on stability at the top of the rotation. Instead, a mix of allowing home runs and walks has forced the team to try and rely on the offense to carry them to victory.

Bibee's Start on Opening Day

There's an argument to be made that Bibee looked better than Williams did, even though he gave up three solo home runs.

Although the Guardians were able to take down the Mariners and begin the year with a 6-4 victory, the offense had to help carry the team to a win. Constantly, they were having to claw back ahead of Seattle as Bibee continued to give up runs.

He finished the game with four hits and two walks allowed, while giving up three earned runs, all of which were homers. He did strike out seven batters, though.

While the surplus of home runs he allowed is the primary talking point, the focus internally seems to be on making sure he's healthy.

After the fifth inning of action, he began warming up to play in the sixth, but shoulder inflammation led to him being pulled from the contest. In replacement came reliever Connor Brogdon, who was able to keep the sheet clean for the time being.

But losing out on a player expected to be the team's ace in 2026 is a huge hit. Now, the Guardians are just hoping this doesn't turn into a long-term issue.

Since his postgame interview on Thursday, there have been no new updates on his current state.

Williams Struggles With Walks in Game 2

Williams' first time on the mound in 2026 wasn't bad, but it wasn't very good either.

He kept bodies off the base paths via the hit department, giving up just two, but he walked an incredibly high amount. He finished the game with six walks to seven strikeouts.

That inability to control the strike zone resulted in him losing his groove in the fourth inning, before throwing a four-seamer right down the middle of the zone, where Cole Young bashed a three-run home run.

When reflecting on what went right and what went wrong in a postgame interview, Vogt wasn't too critical of Williams. He pointed to the need to cut down on walking batters, but also to the 26-year-old's few positives.

"Obviously, the walks were the issue tonight," Vogt said. "But I thought his stuff was pretty good, you know, they didn't hit him, you know. But when you give them free passes, I mean, we gave 3 runs away on walks tonight, and that was the story of the game…

"It just looked like he was spraying a little bit, had a hard time repeating, you know, getting the ball where he wanted it to go. But at the same time…. gives up the lead off triple and then gets out of it. So we know what Gavin's capable of."

Back in 2025, Williams was statistically one of the best pitchers on the Guardians' roster. He finished the year with an ERA of 3.06 with a 1.270 WHIP. He wasn't giving up many runs, and he also posted a career low in walks allowed.

However, one area of his game that certainly struggled was the home run shot.

Last year, he gave up 23 home runs in 167 innings, which came out to an average of 1.2 home runs per nine innings, meaning he was giving up the long ball nearly once a game. That's a major issue for a starting arm, especially for a Guardians roster that still isn't that elite offensively.

In the game against the Mariners, the home run pretty much killed his momentum and the Guardians' control, with three runs putting the opposition ahead. From there, they never looked back.

Both Bibee and Williams’ track records show that performances like these won’t happen every game. However, these struggles mirror issues they’ve faced in the past, so they'll need to make corrections before it's too late to break habits.

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@MasonHorodyski

“Obviously the walks were the issue tonight. I thought his stuff was pretty good, you know, they didn't hit him, you know. But when you give them free passes, I mean, we gave 3 runs away on walks tonight, and that was the story of the game… it just looked like he was spraying a little bit, had a hard time repeating, you know, getting the ball where he wanted it to go. But at the same time…. gives up the lead off triple and then gets out of it. So we know what Gavin's capable of”

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