The Guardians' Starting Rotation Has Already Seen A Lot Of Turnover, More May Still Come

The Cleveland Guardians have already started 11 different pitchers this season and that number could still get higher in the second half of the MLB season.

Author:
Tommy Wild
Jul 7, 2023 2:37 PM EDT

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Cleveland Guardians

Let's take a quick headcount on who has started for the Cleveland Guardians this year.

Shane Bieber, Hunter Gaddis, Aaron Civale, Zach Plesac, and Cal Quantrill were in the rotation on Opening Day. However, This group of five wouldn't last long due to injuries and underperformance.

This would give Peyton Battenfield, Triston McKenzie, Logan Allen, Tanner Bibee, Touki Toussaint (yes, he started a game) and Gavin Williams a chance to show what they were made of.

Already having 11 different pitchers start a game before the All-Star break is quite the of turnover and is even more impressive considering the Guardians sit just below .500 while also being second in the AL Central.

For as much turnover as we've seen, it may not be the last. There's still half a season to play and a trade deadline in there where starting pitching will be in high demand.

Shane Bieber

Who knows if Shane Bieber will be pitching in Guardians uniform after August 1? The rumors seem to indicate that the opposing team will be calling Cleveland about their asking price on the former Cy Young winner and it seems like a matter of time before he's dealt.

Perhaps with all of the instability in the rotation, the Guardians will opt to keep him for the rest of the season and explore trade in the winter.

Triston McKenzie

I really hope that we get to see Triston McKenzie pitch again this season. He was an under-the-radar Cy Young candidate heading into the season, but injuries have derailed his 2023 campaign.

The latest update we have is that Sticks will take the non-surgical approach in healing his UCL injury and hopes to pitch again this season. He was also placed on the 60-day IL.

While I want McKenzie to come back for a late-season playoff run, I also want him 100 percent healthy so he can be an ace on this team for years to come.

Cal Quantrill

Quantrill has continued to struggle in the starting role this season. He's made 13 starts and posted a 6.45 ERA. On top of that, he's already made two trips to the injured list with the same injury.

Cal will comeback eventually but it will be interesting to see if the Guardians still try to use him as a starter or opt to bring him out of the bullpen.

Aaron Civale

While there currently are no rumors or reports about Civale being on the trade block, it wouldn't be surprising if his name started to pop up. He's quietly put together a solid season posting an ERA of 2.96 over eight starts.

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