3 Guardians pitchers who are poised to make a jump in 2026

The Cleveland Guardians are loaded with young pitching talent which has helped them set the stage for a spectacular 2026 thanks to the momentum built they built at the end of last season.

And although they have plenty of promising arms who could have breakout seasons in 2026, these three arms three arms are poised to become cornerstones of the team's success next season.

The Guardians have plenty of talented pitchers on their roster

Tanner Bibee

After an inconsistent start to the 2025 campaign, Bibee has the experience to take a monumental leap next season. While he finished 2025 with a 4.24 ERA that was higher than his fantastic rookie year, that number tells only half the story. Bibee made a dramatic turnaround in the second half, as he significantly improved his command and lowed his WHIP, walk rate, and home runs allowed while posting a 1.30 ERA in September.

That September surge helped the Guardians secure a playoff berth and showed exactly what he's capable of. Then came his phenomenal postseason performance where he allowed only one earned run while tallying six strikeouts. The Guardians already showed their faith in Bibee by inking him to a long-term extension, and if he carries that late-season confidence and elite command forward, Bibee will be ready to seize it.

Gavin Williams

Williams’ second half was truly one of the most impressive transformations in all of baseball, as he went from a solid starter to a dominant force. He cut his ERA from a respectable 3.70 down to 2.18 after the All-Star break while also significantly reducing his walk rate from the first half.

The highlight of his second half came in August when he came within two outs of throwing a no-hitter against the New York Mets.

Williams then delivered a postseason masterclass, throwing six shutout innings with eight strikeouts. At just 26, his towering presence and triple-digit heat are being complemented by the refined command of a true front-line starter. The Guardians have a great young duo in the form of Williams and Bibee, and their late-season progress should have every Guardians fan ecstatic about the future of this starting rotation.

Cade Smith

Smith was thrust into closer role last season after Emmanuel Clase was suspended, and his overall performance remained that of a high-leverage weapon even if it coincided with a slight uptick in his ERA. In total, Smith finished the regular season with a 2.93 ERA , 104 strikeouts and 16 saves in 73 2/3 innings. He proved he belonged at the back-end of the bullpen.

His ability to rack up strikeouts (12.7 K/9) and his elite ability to strand inherited runners — a key metric for a high-leverage reliever — demonstrate his immense potential. Smith's confidence and dominant stuff were on full display in the postseason, and he has a unique opportunity next season to solidify himself as one of the elite closers in the American League. The Guardians bullpen, anchored by Smith, is set up for high-leverage success.