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.

2. Luis Severino - New York Mets

It was not that long ago that Luis Severino appeared to be the anchor of the New York Yankees' rotation for years to come. Injuries and Tommy John surgery saw Severino pitch in just seven games between 2019 and 2021. Severino appeared to be back to his usual self in 2022, finishing with a 3.18 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in 19 starts, but it wouldn't last as 2023 saw him put up the worst numbers of his career (6.65 ERA, 1.646 WHIP) in 19 appearances. This resulted in Severino leaving The Bronx and moving to a different borough in New York, signing with the Mets on a one-year "prove-it" deal.

It was a productive 2024 for Severino with the Mets, compiling a 3.91 ERA and 1.242 WHIP across 182 innings (31 starts). It may not have been at the same high level during his time with the Yankees, but Severino was able to prove he can be an effective pitcher again, and teams should be interested in his services.

.Bringing in Severino would not necessarily replace Shane Bieber (if he leaves in free agency), but it would help raise the talent floor of Cleveland's rotation, and that is just as important for the Guardians, considering how many pitchers they used last season. 3

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.