These Risky Moves Looking Like Major Win For Guardians Front Office

The Cleveland Guardians have gotten big boosts from veteran starters Matthew Boyd and Alex Cobb.

Aug 31, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) reacts after striking out Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Henry Davis (not pictured) during the fifth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

No front office is perfect. Every so often, a general manager or president of baseball operations makes a questionable move that doesn't pay off in the long run.

However, there are also the gambles that front offices make that turn out to be a major success for their organization. So far, it seems that the Cleveland Guardians' signing of Matthew Boyd and their trade for Alex Cobb fall into the category of risky moves that are also major wins for the team.

Matthew Boyd

It became clear in mid-June that Cleveland desperately needed starting pitching. They decided to sign veteran starter Matthew Boyd on June 27, who was still recovering from Tommy John surgery from a year ago.

When the contract was announced, Boyd still had more rehab to do, and they knew he wouldn't be in the rotation until August at the earliest.

Chris Antonetti said the front office primarily made the move because they expected a high cost for starting pitching at the trade deadline. They knew they had to make a move and thought Boyd could provide a boost for the team down the stretch, and they wouldn't have to give up any prospect capital to get him on their roster.

Aug 25, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

You never know what you're going to get from a player returning from TJ surgery. However, Boyd has been fantastic so far.

Boyd has made four starts for the Guardians, and he has a 2.38 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in those appearances. The biggest surprise has been his swing-and-miss pitches, as the 33-year-old has a 23.3 percent strikeout rate. Boyd even had an eight-strikeout performance against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night.

Up to this point, Boyd has been everything the Guardians have asked for and more.

Alex Cobb

Cleveland once again took a gamble on an injured veteran pitcher and traded for Alex Cobb from the San Francisco Giants on the day of the MLB trade deadline.

Cobb underwent left hip surgery last offseason and had an issue with his shoulder while rehabbing. He had yet to make a major league start in 2024 when the Guardians acquired him.

Cleveland's acquisition of Cobb was also a big question mark. He was a veteran starter who hadn't pitched in a major league game in nearly a full calendar year, and there were plenty of unknowns about how he may perform.

However, Cobb has been fantastic, making three starts for Cleveland and has a 2.76 ERA across 16.1 innings pitched.

He even worked a perfect game into the seventh inning on Sunday, showing that the 36-year-old still has plenty left in the tank. This performance came after he spent over a week back on the injured list after breaking his fingernail.

Yes, this is a very short sample size from both Boyd and Cobb. However, we do have to remember that these were low-risk, high-reward moves intended to help the Guardians right now, and they clearly are.

With how thin Cleveland's rotation has been all season, it's already fair to say that these risky moves are proving to be a win for the Guardians, and we have to give the front office credit for recognizing their value and going out and acquiring them.