5 starting pitchers the Cleveland Guardians should target in free agency

By the end of their playoff run, it became very obvious that the current state of their starting rotation was a problem. They only had one pitcher last more than 5 innings in a start, and that put even more pressure on Cleveland's bullpen which was overworked during the regular season. This resulted in relief arms that were usually capable of shutdown performances being a little less effective and ultimately leading to their postseason elimination. If they are going to avoid a repeat next season, they will need to add multiple starting pitchers, and the following five names would be ideal fits in Cleveland.

1. Michael Lorenzen - Kansas City Royals

Michael Lorenzen has bounced around the league a little bit over the past few seasons, pitching for six different teams since 2021. The soon-to-be 33-year-old has mostly been effective during that time, with a couple of hiccups along the way, but that has not deterred teams from vying for his services. In 26 appearances last season, Lorenzen compiled a 3.31 ERA and 1.235 WHIP while striking out 6.7 batters per nine innings.

Lorenzen has been traded to two different postseason contenders over the past two years (Philadelphia and Kansas City), allowing one run in four appearances. While the outings were brief (5 innings with only two starts), being able to bring in someone who has pitched in the postseason before could prove to be a valuable addition for a team that lacked playoff experience in their rotation.

3. Trevor Williams - Washington Nationals

This may not be the most exciting name to appear on this list (those entries come later), but Trevor Williams should definitely be on the Guardians' radar this offseason.

The veteran right-hander appeared in just 13 games for the Nationals this past season, but he was very impressive in those 66.2 innings, finishing with a microscopic 2.03 ERA and 1.035 WHIP while striking out 8 batters per nine innings pitched. This was easily his best season as a pro, and it was not particularly close, even if his season was abbreviated.

There is some concern as to whether or not Williams would be able to carry over his success in 2024 moving forward. Williams has experienced a large amount of variance in terms of effectiveness throughout his career, and his previous track record suggests that 2025 could be a year that sees a high degree of regression.

If Williams can avoid a complete free fall and still be an effective pitcher, he would still be a worthwhile addition to the Guardians' pitching staff. Avoiding having to go down the same path of taking midseason fliers on arms should be a priority, and Williams should be able to help them accomplish that.

4. Max Fried - Atlanta Braves

One of the bigger names set to hit the free agent market and someone who could transform the pitching rotation of any team, Max Fried is going to garner plenty of attention from plenty of teams, provided they get the opportunity to do so, as Atlanta may be willing to do everything possible to prevent him from leaving.

Unlike the previous names on this list, signing Fried would take Cleveland far out of their comfort zone, and that could ultimately be a deal-breaker for the Guardians' decision-makers. The reality is that now is the time for this ballclub to operate beyond its normal financial limits.

Being able to reach the ALCS this season was an impressive accomplishment for this Guardians team, but now they should be setting their sights on loftier goals. For that to come to fruition, adding Fried and his 3.07 career ERA to their starting rotation would make that possible.

If the Guardians are unable to retain the services of one of Shane Bieber, Matthew Boyd, or Alex Cobb, they are going to need to find reinforcements behind Tanner Bibee. A combination of Fried and Bibee could be what they thought they were going to get out of BIbee and Bieber this season, and that could make a huge impact on their chances of remaining atop the AL Central.

5. Corbin Burnes - Baltimore Orioles

Like the previous name on this list, Corbin Burnes is someone who is most likely going to command a contract outside of the Guardians' comfort zone. And again, now is the time for the Guardians to do that, and that person being the caliber of starter that Burnes is, would be worth the financial investment.

Burnes has been an absolute stud since becoming a full-time starter, compiling a 2.94 ERA, 1.020 WHIP, and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings in 125 games across four seasons in Milwaukee and Baltimore, including a Cy Young Award-winning campaign in 2021 during his time in a Brewers uniform. When it comes to players worthy of going above and beyond their normal spending habits, Burnes is clearly deserving.

Is this, and Fried for that matter, unlikely pipe dream-esque suggestions? Yes, admittedly, they are, considering the way the Guardians do business. However, with a team that finished with the second-best record in the American League and made it to the ALCS, the time for the Guardians to act like a genuinely competitive organization instead of one operating in an incredibly risk-averse manner is now. This is a roster on the cusp of ending the sport's longest active championship drought, and pushing all their chips in to do that is something that must be considered.