Could this one area be the Guardians' downfall?

It has been an adversity-filled season for the Cleveland Guardians, with a new challenge seemingly waiting for them around every corner. Just when it seems like they have found some sort of level, a new challenge comes out of nowhere, ready to test this team.

Before the season began, most people expected the offense to be Cleveland's biggest issue. While they are currently mired in a stretch where their output has not been at the same level early on, they have been more than fine in that department overall. However, the one area in which plenty of people put their confidence has become the biggest obstacle to future success. Starting pitching.

It has been a fly-by-night patchwork operation for the Guardians with their rotation this year, and with how things have gone lately, it is not exactly a surprise to see starting pitching identified as their biggest red flag at the moment by Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer.

Appearing as part of his The Biggest Red Flag for Every MLB Team Right Now, Rymer goes on to note the lack of success from anyone not named Tanner Bibee in the second half as a reason to be concerned about their starting rotation.

"This was inevitable, given just how consistently Cleveland's starting pitching has been trying to trip up the team's contention run. And on the beat goes, as only Tanner Bibee (1.61 ERA) is standing out in a rotation that otherwise has a 4.75 ERA in the second half."

Zachary D Rymer on Guardians pitching

The moment Cleveland lost Shane Bieber for the season after two starts was a devastating blow to their starting five. This was a team that was counting on Bieber to lead a young group featuring Bibee, Gavin Williams, Logan Allen, and Triston McKenzie. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned for Cleveland as Williams suffered a setback during Spring Training, resulting in Carlos Carrasco making the team, Bieber going down with an injury, and the performances of Allen and McKenzie have left a lot to be desired. These events lead to Cleveland's current group of Bibee, Williams Ben Lively, Alex Cobb, and Matthew Boyd being their primary options for their rotation. This is not at all what anyone was expecting for Cleveland's rotation, and naming it their biggest red flag does not come as a surprise considering that Cobb has now landed on the injured list with a fractured fingernail.

But will the current state of their rotation be the Guardians' downfall?

That is the question that everyone is trying to find the answer to. Can the Guardians continue the success they have experienced this season even though their rotation is a pieced-together group with a few misfits and cast-offs? Cleveland has managed to get this far, but it is more than fair to question the sustainability of their current setup.

The biggest issue that complicates things for Cleveland's pitching staff is the lack of length they have gotten from their starters. Far too often, a pitcher fails to pitch past the 5th inning or even gets that far. This puts an extra amount of stress on the bullpen to take charge and handle a larger portion of the game than they should have to. While the Guardians' relief corps has been the best in the game this season, there are only so many pitches a reliever has an arm in a given season. Having to go to the pen early in games on a routine basis will eventually add up. This type of overuse could come back to haunt them in the postseason, as there is no doubt that the relievers will be dealing with plenty of exhaustion due to the frequent nature in which they have been called upon.

There is still a chance for the Guardians' pitching staff to work stuff out and get on the right track, whether by improved performances, contributions from the in-season additions, or giving players who are not currently in their rotation (Allen, McKenzie, Carrasco) to make a difference in some capacity. Until that happens, however, questions will remain as to whether or not they have enough starting pitching to remain atop the American League Central and go on an extended postseason run.

It's all going to come down to whether or not the Guardians' starting rotation is up to the task of putting together better performances. If they are not able to and things do not end up working out, you better believe that Cleveland's starting pitching will receive plenty of blame for why things did not go in their favor.