Cleveland Guardians: Way-too-early Opening Day rotation projection for 2022

Cleveland Guardians way-too-early 2022 Opening Day starting rotation projection

Entering the 2021 season the rotation in Cleveland was a bit of a question mark for the first time in a long time. The team had the Big Three from the 2016 MLB Draft class, but the final two spots were as unknown as the team’s next team name at the time. Now, we’re as certain about the starting five for 2022, at least to start the season, as we are that the Cleveland Guardians will take the field next season.

While injuries to the rotational all but doomed Cleveland’s chances in 2021, those same injuries opened the door for discovering the final two spots in the 2022 rotation. With all five spots being used by prospects, it essentially became an open audition for most of the season and luckily two names stood out to separate themselves from the masses.

Once the other three returned to full strength to close out the season, we saw a glimpse of what could be the future of the team’s starting rotation. There will still be some road bumps, but the overall outlook is much more promising now than it has been in the past.

Shane Bieber, SP, Cleveland Guardians

Anytime a team can anchor the starting rotation with a Cy Young winner it’s a good sign, especially when that pitcher has collected the award within the last couple seasons. That’s exactly what Shane Bieber provides Cleveland at the top of the rotation.

The 2021 season was rough for Bieber. He missed a large chunk due to injury, but his strengths are still present. He still managed to average 12.5 strikeouts per nine and kept a respectable 3.17 ERA. It might not have been his 2020 campaign, but it was still strong.

The 2020 season for Bieber was something of legend. He became the first starting pitcher ever to average over 14 strikeouts per nine and also logged the lowest ERA in the game at 1.63. Now, sustaining that over a full season is a tall order, but Bieber has the potential to come close.

If he can remain healthy, Bieber should once again lead Cleveland’s rotation in 2022. Chances of anyone challenging him for the top spot seems slim, but if that’s the case then Cleveland will be just fine next season in the starting rotation.

Aaron Civale, SP, Cleveland Guardians

The second spot of the rotation in Cleveland is, in a way, up for grabs. Bieber is settled in as the team’s best pitcher, but the rest of the rotation is up in the air in terms of the order. The players are known, but the order in which they will appear is not. If consistency is a key attribute in the decision, then Aaron Civale is likely to be the club’s No. 2 starting pitcher.

Before his injury, Civale was off to a hot start to the season. He was the first pitcher in the game to reach 10 wins and made it seem like Cleveland could have two pitchers in the Cy Young conversation. The end of the year wasn’t as smooth after the injury, but a full season should allow Civale to return to form.

While Bieber is a strikeout pitcher, Civale pitches to contact, with just 7.2 strikeouts per nine. The two balance each other very well and having them back-to-back in the rotation is a great way to start off.

Cal Quantrill, SP, Cleveland Guardians

The third spot in Cleveland’s rotation has been a spot that could go one of two ways. The team could ride the arm that has been in this spot in the past, Zach Plesac, or they could go with the hot hand from the 2021 season, Cal Quantrill.

Quantrill has shown his ability well this past season, making a case to potentially even be the No. 2 starter in Cleveland. He had somewhat of a rough transition from the bullpen to the rotation, but once he settled in he looked like one of the best starting pitchers in the league.

In the second half of the season, Quantrill posted an ERA below two over 14 starts. If that’s the form he can maintain moving forward, he should be a staple in Cleveland’s rotation moving forward.