Guardians' stellar rotation emphasizes division rival's struggles in free agency

Last October, the Cleveland Guardians got (another) front row look at Tarik Skubal when the Tigers ace struck out 14 in a Tigers Wild Card Round. 

And while Skubal is far and away the best starter in baseball, the rest of the Tigers’ rotation is a bit underwhelming — for now. 

Earlier today, MLB insider Jim Bowden put out a new story where he played free agent “matchmaker” for the top players available. And there was a simple theme in that article: the Tigers seem interested in acquiring pitching. 

While that thinking can be a bit daunting for Guardians fans given there are some true impact arms available in free agency, it’s important to remember that not every free agent signing is a hit. 

Detroit’s search for arms should be laughable for Guardians fans

Bowden linked the Tigers to Framer Valdez, Zac Gallen and Tyler Mahle, where he had the Tigers as the No. 3 suitor for Valdez and Gallen and the No. 1 suitor for Mahle. 

Valdez is the clear top option on the market, but his contract could end up aging poorly thanks to his age (32) and slightly higher ERA last season (3.66). 

He’d be a solid option at the top of the Tigers’ rotation (or a good replacement for Skubal if the Tigers choose to trade him), but he doesn’t move the needle as much as someone like Dylan Cease. 

The same can be said for Gallen, who has been an excellent No. 2 starter throughout his career but is coming off a rough walk year (4.83 ERA). Most reports make it seem like he’s going to return to Arizona, but Detroit inclusion on his wishlist means there’s likely been some kind of communication between the two teams. 

Lastly there’s Mahle, who seems to have the best chance to go to Detroit. He had a 2.18 ERA in 86 2/3 innings for the Rangers last year, but he’s struggled with injuries throughout his career. He’s a solid middle-rotation arm when he’s healthy, but he has some clear red flags. 

Now think about all of those pitchers within the prism of the Guardians’ rotation. While Cleveland doesn’t have a guy like Skubal or Valdez at the top of their rotation, they have a rotation led by a young starter who is locked in for the foreseeable future (Tanner Bibee) along with a budding ace (Gavin Williams) and a variety of pre-arbitration hurlers (Slade Cecconi, Parker Messick and Joey Cantillo). 

The Guardians’ rotation was lights out across the final month of the season, and it’s one of the team’s clear strengths for 2026. 

Meanwhile, the Tigers have a rotation consisting of Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, Reese Olson and Drew Anderson, who they just signed to a one-year, $7 million after four seasons pitching overseas. It’s a solid group behind Skubal, but there’s still some obvious room for improvement. 

While the Guardians haven’t made a ton of upgrades to their lineup, they’re still a contender in the American League Central thanks to their starting rotation and José Ramírez. That should still be the case even if the Tigers add to their rotation.