Guardians need more out of their starting rotation

The most recent series for the Cleveland Guardians was far from ideal in more than one way. It is not just being swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks that is the issue here, but it is the lack of quality starting pitching they have received that is catching up with them and quick.

Two of the three starters for Cleveland managed to pitch 5 innings, while only one allowed fewer than four runs during their series against Arizona.

Logan Allen: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Ben Lively: 5 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K

Carlos Carrasco: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Of the three, the outing from Logan Allen was the best from a box score standpoint, but that start was a mess. Allen gave up a home run on the first and fifth pitch of the game before being hit by a comebacker and settling in for a respectable outing.

Ben Lively pitched fine, but it is hard to win with fine when Cleveland's offense is not able to produce enough to make that type of outing winnable. Carlos Carrasco's start went about as expected for him at this point in his career. Carrasco is clearly someone who is being deployed to eat as many innings as he can (sometimes that number is very few) and is being relied upon much more than anyone could have imagined due to the state of their rotation.

Unfortunately, these shorter outings from Cleveland's rotation have had a ripple effect on what has been the best bullpen in baseball for most of the season. The Guardians' relief corps allowed 19 earned runs in 30.1 innings during their most recent homestand (seven games). It appears that the overreliance on the pen is catching up to the Guardians at a very inopportune time. Cleveland is set to take on the Minnesota Twins this weekend in a matchup that could very well determine the outcome of the American League Central division, and their once elite bullpen serving up batting practice is not going to them any favors if they do not find a way to pitch better as soon as possible.

There are two pitchers who could help Cleveland's cause and help get them out of their current tailspin. Those pitchers being Alex Cobb and Matthew Boyd. Cobb is set to make his Guardians and 2024 debut in Game 2 against the Twins on Friday, while Boyd's promotion to the major league roster seems imminent. Even though neither player are the caliber of pitcher many were hoping to see play a huge role for the Guardians down the stretch, Cobb, and to a lesser extent, Boyd, will be who the Guardians will be counting on to keep the team afloat and the Guardians atop the American League Central down the stretch, for better or for worse.