The Cleveland Guardians Opening Day rotation appears set after the team's recent roster move.
One of the big questions the Cleveland Guardians had to answer heading into Spring Training was what the team’s starting rotation would look like heading into Opening Day. Now, the Guardians have the answer after the organization made a roster move on Saturday morning.
The Guardians optioned Logan Allen to Triple-A, meaning the starting five heading into the season will be:
- Tanner Bibee
- Gavin Williams
- Joey Cantillo
- Slade Cecconi
- Parker Messick
The Guardians already announced that Tanner Bibee will be the Opening Day starter, but the rest of the order has yet to be determined.
Bibee and Williams were the obvious locks in Cleveland’s rotation, with most of the competition coming down to Allen, Cantillo, and Messick.
Coming into training camp, Messick felt like the odd man out, simply because of his still being a prospect, having the most options out of anyone in the group, and Cleveland’s ability to slow-play his build-up, hopefully making him available for the entire season.
Feb 27, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Logan Allen (26) throws in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn ImagesBut to Messick’s credit, he forced the Guardians to put him in the rotation after a phenomenal Cactus League showing. He appeared in four games this spring, logging a 3.60 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Those stats are also inflated by his most recent outing, where Messick gave up four earned runs.
Simply looking at the stats, Messick proved he was one of Cleveland’s top starting options heading into the season, and he earned a spot in the rotation.
One of the other players on the fringe of being brought into the rotation included Joey Cantillo. Even though he had an up-and-down spring, the left-hander is out of options; Cleveland had to have him on the Opening Day roster in some capacity.
After Cantillo’s phenomenal September, the Guardians need to see what he can provide at the start of the year.
As for Allen, he’ll start the season at Triple-A, but that doesn’t mean he won’t help the Guardians in some capacity this season. Stephen Vogt has routinely said throughout the spring that everyone in Columbus is one call away, including Allen.
The rotation that a team starts the season with is rarely the same group as the one that ends the season. If the Guardians need another starter for whatever reason throughout the year, Allen has a good chance of being the first arm called up this year.
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