The Cleveland Guardians have long been known for their strong track record of evaluating, acquiring, and developing pitching talent. This season, that reputation is once again being tested—and reaffirmed—by a series of moves aimed at patching a depleted and injury-riddled starting rotation.
After the departure of left-handed veteran Matthew Boyd, who signed with the Chicago Cubs in free agency, the Guardians were faced with a flurry of pitching problems. Injuries and underperformance struck several members of the rotation, including Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie, and Ben Lively, forcing Cleveland’s front office and pitching coach Carl Willis to act quickly and decisively.
That urgency paid off in the form of two key trades in December 2024 that have since stabilized the Guardians’ starting corps:
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Guardians Luis L. Ortiz On December 10, the Guardians acquired Luis L. Ortiz, a 26-year-old right-hander, from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-team deal that also included the Toronto Blue Jays. Cleveland sent Spencer Horwitz to Pittsburgh and Nick Sandlin to Toronto while receiving Ortiz along with pitching prospects Josh Hartle and Michael Kennedy.
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Slade Cecconi strikes out six in first win with Guardians Eleven days later, on December 21, the Guardians swung another important deal, trading Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Slade Cecconi, another young right-handed starter with upside.
Both Ortiz and Cecconi were considered raw talents with command issues, but under the tutelage of Carl Willis, they’ve shown significant improvement in June. Ortiz, known for his power fastball that can reach 99 mph, has steadily refined his mechanics and command. While his overall numbers—4-8 with a 4.30 ERA and 1.40 WHIP—may not dazzle, his performance in recent starts has shown marked progress.
Cecconi, standing at 6-foot-4 with a deep pitch arsenal, has emerged as a solid middle-rotation option. He currently holds a 3-3 record with a 3.38 ERA across seven starts. His fastball-slider combo has proven especially effective as he’s improved his strike-throwing ability.
The Guardians desperately needed this reinforcement, given that Shane Bieber remains sidelined following Tommy John surgery, Ben Lively is out for the season with the same procedure, John Means is still recovering from a 2024 elbow surgery, and Triston McKenzie has regressed to the point of pitching in the minor league rehab system with a bloated ERA above 11.
In light of these setbacks, the acquisitions of Ortiz and Cecconi could not have come at a better time. Their performances in June suggest they are not just stopgaps, but real contributors in a rotation that needed immediate help. And once again, the Guardians’ elite pitching development system—with Carl Willis at the helm—has proven it can turn potential into production.
