Starting pitching is undervalued these days, yet individual starting pitchers are still making big money.

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series, even though they were pitching bullpen games in the playoffs!

The Cleveland Guardians had all sorts of problems with their starters, as Shane Bieber suffered a severe injury, while Logan Allen and Triston McKenzie were sent to the minors.

Still, the Guardians had enough hitting and bullpen strength to reach the American League Championship Series.

Let’s look at the Guardians starting pitchers for 2025 and see if they have enough talent to help the team repeat as AL Central Division champions.

The Ace: Tanner Bibee

Bibee lived up to this title by posting 31 starts. He didn’t have to end losing streaks, because they were rare.

Bibee was 12-8 with a 3.47 ERA and 187 strikeouts. The Guardians will gladly accept a repeat of that performance.

The Veteran: Ben Lively

Lively stepped into the rotation when Bieber got hurt and was remarkably consistent.

He was 13-10 with a 3.81 ERA. Again, Cleveland would love to see that one more time.

The Reclamation Project: Gavin Williams

Williams missed the first half of the season with an injury, and he didn’t set the world on fire when he returned.

He is a very important player on the 2025 roster. If he can stay solid as the No. 3 starter, Cleveland has a great chance to remain competitive until Bieber returns.

The Newcomer: Luis Ortiz

Ortiz came from Pittsburgh in a trade for Spencer Horwitz (who?), the player the Guardians received from Toronto in the Andres Gimenez trade.

He split time between the Pirates’ rotation and bullpen, and he posted a 7-6 record with a 3.32 ERA.

The Comeback: Shane Bieber

Bieber is a former Cy Young award winner returning from elbow surgery. He looked great in his two early starts before the calamity.

Two of the biggest Guardians’ biggest questions are: When will Bieber return, and how effective will he be?

Other prospects

While the Guardians wait for Bieber, they will need a fifth starter. Allen and McKenzie will have a chance to earn their jobs back.

Joey Cantillo is another possibility, as he made eight starts last year.

Don’t be surprised if the Guardians make a trade or sign another free agent, because you can never have enough starting pitching.