Shane Bieber looked like his 2020 self via the initially two begins of the yr. His velocity was back up and he was dominating the opposition. He logged 20 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched via two commences, and allowed runs. Regrettably for him and the Cleveland Guardians, his time is now more than. Over the weekend it was announced that the Guardians’ ace will endure period-ending Tommy John surgical procedures. A main blow for both of those Bieber and the Guardians who appear to get again to the postseason after a down 2023 season. What are some of the Guardians’ possibilities with Shane Bieber out?
“I was falling back in love with pitching.”
Shane Bieber talks about the hard thoughts involved with his injury and how his offseason led to a renewed positivity coming into this period. #ForTheLand | @CleGuardians pic.twitter.com/vdDo8oMOSH
— Bally Sports activities Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) April 8, 2024
The rapid answer is inside. Players with important league encounter contain Xzavion Curry and Ben Lively. Curry expended most of past year in the Guardians bullpen, creating 41 appearances and only 9 begins. Curry also manufactured two starts off for the Guardians in 2022 and was a starter in the minors. Lively was a no cost-agent acquisition, coming above from the Cincinnati Reds. He has also pitched for the Kansas City Royals and Philadelphia Phillies. Energetic is at present on the Injured Record but has created one rehab start for the Guardians AAA staff.
Joey Cantillo would have possible been the common preference coming into the period to be the first man up in scenario of an injuries. Cantillo is a single of the Guardian’s leading pitching potential customers and showed some beneficial symptoms for the duration of Spring Coaching. Regretably, Cantillo is also on the Hurt List with a hamstring injury, and it’s unclear when he will return.
Joey Cantillo notched 15 outs for @AkronRubberDuck — 13 (!!) came by strikeout.
The No. 17 @CleGuardians prospect reduced his Period to .55 following a occupation-best functionality: pic.twitter.com/XR1R1D39Eg
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 4, 2023
The Guardians aren’t as deep as standard in the commencing pitching office, so the exterior route could be the very best route to consider. A trade would make feeling specified their starting off pitching require, and the glutton of middle infield prospective buyers they have. There are many starting off pitchers the Guardians could trade for to replace Bieber. The Miami Marlins are off to a horrific start soon after a disappointing offseason. There ended up previously trade rumors bordering their starting off pitchers, and that will only get louder. Another person like Jesús Luzardo would be attractive to the Guardians offered his generation and his multiple several years of team regulate. The Oakland Athletics are a further group off to a horrific begin and not a bright long run this yr. Almost all of their starting off pitchers are veterans, and likely accessible. Paul Blackburn, Ross Stripling, and Alex Wood are all fellas that could be available and shouldn’t expense considerably.
It’s not excellent, but Cleveland will very likely maintain off on any trades to see what their guys can do, as very well as wait around to see what teams are out of it and which players are built accessible. Either way, it will be tricky to change the creation that Bieber experienced supplied for this club early on. The Guardians are off to their ideal start due to the fact 2011, and the AL Central will be up for grabs. It would be clever for the group to glance to swap Bieber faster alternatively than later on, and not squander a golden chance.
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