Guarding The Land: Cleveland Pitchers Who Stood Tall Through Turbulence
- Alyssa Klauminzer
- 22 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Things are never easy as a Cleveland fan.
The Cleveland Guardians have been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons. Instead of giving more attention to the two pitchers responsible for that, I want to highlight Guardians pitchers who stepped up, stood strong, and rallied the team in the face of adversity.
The Spectacular Starting Six
The Guardians' starting rotation took some time to find its footing and get consistent, but on the other side of the All-Star break, when the team needed them the most, the starters pulled through and showed up big time.
Gavin Williams, standing tall and strong at 6'6", solidified himself into the Guardians' ace role this season. One of his most notable games this season came on Aug. 6 when he took a no-hitter against the Mets into the ninth inning. In the final month of the regular season, Williams recorded seven innings against Seattle, seven against Tampa Bay, six against Kansas City, five against Detroit, and six against Detroit again, giving up only two runs or fewer in each game.
Tanner Bibee had a rocky season, but played a vital role in the Guards closing a 15.5-game deficit to win the division. In Cleveland's historic September, Bibee recorded six and two-thirds innings against Tampa Bay, had the team's first complete-game shutout in three years against the White Sox, and recorded six innings with only one earned run in both of his final regular-season outings against Detroit.
Last offseason, Cleveland traded fan-favorite Josh Naylor for starting pitcher Slade Cecconi. He had ups and downs this season, but proved to be a valuable asset to the starting rotation. Cecconi had four quality starts out of his five appearances in July, had three quality starts in August, and gave the Guards a fighting chance on Sep 8 when he took a no-no into the eighth inning and had seven shutout innings against the Twins on Sep 20.
Logan Allen is a pitcher who you never know what to expect from each outing, but when the Guards' bullpen needed at least five or six innings out of their starter, he got them there. Through a rough July and the dog days of August, Allen gave the team four quality starts and five games of at least six innings of work. In his most important start of the season on Sep 20, Allen tallied eight scoreless innings against the division-rival Twins.
Joey Cantillo was ready to take on any role the Guardians needed him to fill. The rookie began the season in the bullpen, but became a starter later in the summer. Cantillo was optioned to Triple-A to work on his efficiency and aggressiveness, and when he got the call-up in September, he pitched six innings with only one earned run against Boston, eight shutout innings against Kansas City, and 5.2 solid innings against Texas on the night Cleveland clinched the playoffs against all odds. His stellar performances in the final month of the regular season got him named the American League Rookie of the Month for September.
Parker Messick made his MLB debut on Aug 20 and charged into action. In August, Messick recorded 6.2 innings and gave up only one run against Arizona in his debut and had seven shutout innings against Tampa Bay, recording six strikeouts in both outings. In the critical month of September, he recorded two quality starts, struck out nine batters in his start against the Twins, and struck out seven batters in his start against the Tigers. I think I speak for all Guardians fans when I say I can't wait to see what Messick does in a full season!
These six starters set the tone, brought rejuvenated energy, and gave the Guards momentum and a chance against all odds in the face of adversity.
The Persistent Bullpen
No closer? No problem! Cade Smith is on the case. Smith has been such an exciting pitcher to watch out of the Guardians' bullpen. He was told at the beginning of last season that there were no guarantees on his 26-man spot, but he stayed in the majors and posted a 1.91 ERA across 74 games in his rookie campaign. He has been a crucial member of the back end of Cleveland's bullpen, and when the team suddenly needed a closer, it was a no-doubter that Smith could take on the role. He recorded 13 saves out of 16 opportunities through August and September. Let there be no concerns about Cleveland's closer role this offseason, as Smith has already proven himself capable and confident in the role.
Hunter Gaddis solidified himself into the setup man role when he was put in the bullpen and excelled there last season. Gaddis' best pitching came starting in July, and when the Guards needed the best from their bullpen at the end of that month, Gaddis looked like his usual confident and consistent self, and also recorded three saves.
Erik Sabrowski, how lucky are we to have you on the Guardians! Sabrowski underwent two Tommy John surgeries before making it to Double A, and finally made his MLB debut last September. He began this season on the injured list, but returned to the team at the end of June. Dominant doesn't feel like a strong enough word to describe Sabrowski. In 29.1 innings of work this season, he only gave up six earned runs, recorded 42 strikeouts, and posted a 1.84 ERA. The Guardians needed a strong, reliable lefty in the pen, and they found their guy.
When the bullpen could have struggled without a key piece and fallen apart with players taking on new roles in the back of the bullpen, Cleveland's relief pitchers stepped up to the mound and took their new roles with stride.
The Courageous Catchers and Coaches
This article would not be complete without also giving recognition to the coaches and catchers who led this phenomenal group of pitchers through adversity. Catchers Bo Naylor and Austin Hedges, pitching coach Carl Willis, and manager Stephen Vogt deserve just as much praise for the success of Cleveland's pitchers.
Ahead of the 2025 season, Vogt said of Naylor, "I've loved the way Bo's gone about business being the leader, helping this pitching staff get ready while continuing to focus on his development both behind the plate and at the plate."
Naylor helped two of his teammates step into big roles this season. As the starting catcher, he helped fellow Canadian Smith navigate the closer role, and he also worked closely with Williams to adjust his pitch mix and attack batters more efficiently to become the Guardians' ace.
And Naylor is not alone in being a Guardians catcher with a strong leadership presence. If the Guardians have a heart and soul of the team, it's José Ramírez, of course, along with backup catcher Austin Hedges. Hedges' energy, passion, and leadership are invaluable for the Guardians, and were vital in getting the team through the unique challenges placed upon them this season.
"He's so much more to us than what any outside source can see. He helps us get better. He helps me get better. He challenges the coaching staff. He challenges his teammates and he brings the energy every single day," Vogt said about Hedges.
Cleveland's pitching also wouldn't have its history of success or resilience this season if it weren't for longtime pitching coach Carl Willis.
"You’ve got Carl Willis out there, man," Hedges said. "That guy's a special, special human that can teach pitching. It's no coincidence why we have so many talented arms, and they’ve been carrying us."
And, of course, with Vogt at the helm for the second year, the Guardians were able to stay strong, stand tall, and battle through unimaginable setbacks this season, earning him his second AL Manager of the Year title in a row.
"I know how hard it was to show up every day at times positive, and to keep pushing and to keep that smile on your face. It's a choice every single day that you make when you show up to work, if you want to be in a good mood or a bad mood," Vogt said. "... Our entire group showed up in a good mood, believing we were going to win, even through the midst of some rough stretches. We knew that it was going to turn at some point, and we had to make it turn."
So, while the majority of the media will focus on two pitchers who are not deserving of my time of day, I think these players and coaches on the Guardians should be celebrated for coming together, finding fortitude, and leading the team to triumph after tribulations.
Edited by: Kelly Cassette