This Duo Identified As Guardians X-Factor For Remainder Of Season

Alex Cobb and Matthew Boyd are critical pieces to the Cleveland Guardians' success for the remainder of the season.

Aug 20, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians' formula for winning games is simple: get a lead early and let the bullpen close out the game in the final innings.

Obviously, the offense plays an important part in this formula. However, the starting pitching is just as essential. If whoever starts on the mound gives up four or five runs in the first handful of innings, it'll make it that much harder for the rest of the team to get back into the game.

That's why Cleveland's starting rotation, which still can be considered as a concern haeding down the stretch, is so crucial to the Guardians.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic recently explored each American League postseason contender and identified Alex Cobb and Matthew Boyd as the Guardians' X-factors for the remainder of the season.

Here's what he had to say about the veteran duo:

"For the Guardians to hold off their division rivals and win the AL Central, they’ll need improvement from said rotation — and they believe these veteran starters, both midseason acquisitions, can be key difference-makers down the stretch. Boyd has made four starts for the Guardians since Aug. 13 and has pitched at least 5 1/3 innings in each of them, yielding just one run in three of the four outings. Cobb, whom they added from San Francisco at the trade deadline, has gone 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA in his three starts with Cleveland," wrote Bowden.

Sep 1, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Alex Cobb (35) delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

Both Boyd and Cobb have been fantastic in their first few appearances with the Guardians.

Cobb has made three starts for Cleveland and currently has a 2.76 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 16.1 innings. He even took a perfect game into the sixth in his start last Sunday.

Boyd will make his fifth start with the team on Friday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 33-year-old has posted a 2,38 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in his 22.2 innings pitched.

The Guardians have the pieces to make a deep playoff run in October, but as Bowden points out, Boyd and Cobb will be the X-factor for the team's success as a whole.