Predicting The Cleveland Guardians 2025 Opening Day Starting Rotation

The Cleveland Guardians have a lot to figure out with their rotation before the 2025 MLB season begins.

Apr 27, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) reacts after an out against the Atlanta Braves in the sixth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians' starting rotation has been one of the most discussed areas of the team's offseason. Last year, it was a clear weakness that needed some upgrades.

The front office has made some moves, but it's clear they're relying on some of their young arms to bounce back or take the next step in their development during the 2025 season.

Here is an early-January prediction of what Cleveland's Opening Day rotation will be to start the year.

Note: Shane Bieber likely won't be back until sometime during the summer months. Therefore, he has not been included on this list. Once Bieber is healthy, he will be in the rotation.

Tanner Bibee

Tanner Bibee is the only certainty the Guardians have in their starting rotation heading into the 2025 season. In 31 starts, he finished last year with a 3.47 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and a 117 ERA+.

There's no question whether or not Bibee will be in Cleveland's rotation. He's even being predicted to be a first-time All-Star next year.

Right now, Bibee is in line to be the Guardians Opening Day starter at the end of March.

Gavin Williams

Gavin Williams' sophomore season in the big leagues didn't go as planned. He missed the first half of the season with an elbow injury and struggled to find the rhythm he had at the end of 2023.

That said, Williams could be in line to have a massive year ahead with a healthy season and a full spring training to ramp up.

He's even been chosen as MLB.com's breakout candidate for the Guardians in 2025.

Sep 7, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams (32) delivers to the plate in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Luis Ortiz

Luis Ortiz represents Cleveland's major offseason acquisition up to this point in the offseason. Chris Antonetti revealed shortly after the trade that Ortiz would enter the Guardians rotation this coming season.

The former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher has a lot of potential to be a reliable middle-of-the-rotation arm. In 15 starts last season, he had a 3.22 ERA and a WHIP of 1.00.

Monitoring Ortiz's progress will be one of the most fascinating storylines of next season.

Ben Lively

Ben Lively had a breakout year in 2024 and was arguably Cleveland's most reliable starter at times. He finished the year with a 3.51 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and a 107 ERA+.

Lively began to struggle with his command late in the season, which resulted in some tough outings. However, his 151.0 innings were easily a career-high for Lively, which could have caused some fatigue in the fall.

Hopefully, an offseason fully dedicated to training to be a starting pitcher will give him the stamina to pitch for the entire season.

Triston McKenzie

No one is going to deny that Triston McKenzie has had a rough 2024 season. He had an ERA of 5.11 and a 1.56 WHIP in 16 starts before a mid-season demotion to Triple-A.

However, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt had some encouraging thoughts on McKenzie's upcoming season and seems to believe he could be competing for a rotation spot out of

These comments, combined with Cleveland's limited options, give McKenzie a solid opportunity to be one of the arms in the Guardians' rotation.

Guardians Other Candidates

Here is a list of players who didn't quite make the cut for this prediction list but could become candidates as the offseason continues and Spring Training begins: Doug Nikhazy, Joey Cantillo, Logan Allen, Slade Cecconi