Guardians are smart to take time in deciding ALDS pitching plans 

Last night eight MLB teams kicked off the postseason with a Wild Card Series that usually destroys a team’s pitching plans before the Division Series. 

One team that doesn’t have to worry about that is the Guardians, who got to skip past the Wild Card round and head straight to the American League Division Series by virtue of being the American League’s No. 2 seed. 

Along with giving the team six days to put their feet up and watch the Wild Card madness, it also means the Guardians can build out their pitching staff for the ALDS without having to worry about any kind of usage or fatigue. 

And they’re not tipping their cap on what those plans look like just yet. 

Guardians manager Stephen Vogt held a Zoom press conference earlier today as the team begins to ramp up for Saturday’s ALDS opener, where he said the Guardians are still working their pitching plans for the series. He said the team should have more to say in a day or two. 

While the only question at the top of the rotation is whether Gavin Williams or Parker Messick is going to start Game 1 of the series, the Guardians still have some questions to answer about the end of their rotation and bullpen that may not be answered until the Guardians figure out who they’re playing in the ALDS. 

The Guardians aren't rushing into their pitching plans for the ALDS just yet

The White Sox moved to a game within playing the Guardians with their win over the Astros in the Wild Card Series on Wednesday, but the biggest questions that need to be answered with Cleveland are whether Foster Griffin or Tanner Bibee get the final spot in the Guardians’ rotation and who is going to occupy the final spots in the bullpen. 

Bibee posted a 5.40 ERA in 10 innings against the White Sox this season, while Griffin allowed two runs in four innings in his lone start against Chicago. 

Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowksi and Shawn Armstrong are the current Guardians’ bullpen arms who had the most success against the White Sox in the regular season, while Franco Aleman threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings against Chicago in the regular season but he finished the season in Triple-A. 

Craig Yoho had the worst ERA of any pitcher who could be in the Guardians’ bullpen, but the preemptively removed him from their ALDS roster pitcher when they sent him down to Triple-A on the final day of the regular season.

The Guardians have had all their minor league pitchers and hitters staying ready at the team’s Triple-A ballpark, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Guardians’ postseason roster features at least one or two surprises compared to the roster they ended the regular season with. 

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