Guardians Free Agent Targets: Starting Pitchers

We have written about hitters and about relievers the Guardians may target. What about starting pitchers?

In general, I wouldn’t expect the Guardians to spend a lot on starting pitching because they have a decent amount of starters on hand. But, 1. It’s impossible to have too much starting pitching, and 2. they may want to consider trading a starter to get hitting help. Both scenarios mean they should be looking for starting pitching value on the free agent market. Cleveland, of course, has a reputation as a pitching factory and a good spot for pitchers recovering from injuries, which may help them secure some deals at the lower end of the free agent market. Here are some names that make sense for Cleveland to examine in free agency:

Tyler Mahle, RHP, 31 years old – Over the past six seasons, Mahle has a 3.61 ERA and a 3.77 FIP. Now, he’s also dealt with a number of injuries but he finished 2025 healthy and managed to throw over 90 innings. A little pillow deal with Cleveland to maximize his talent and guide a return to full strength could be just what the doctor ordered.

Griffin Canning, RHP, 29 years old – In his first season with a decent team for pitchers, Canning put up a 3.77 ERA and a 4.04 FIP in 75ish innings and then tore his Achilles. Again, let Cleveland guide your recovery from injury and maximize you as a pitcher for 2026, then strike big in free agency in 2027 or post-lockout.

Dustin May, RHP, 28 years old – May has been dealing with a lot of injury trouble, but claims to be over his elbow neuritis. Could he then be more of the 2.63 ERA/3.23 FIP pitcher of 2024 then the disappointment he was in Boston?

Zack Littell, RHP, 30 years old – Littell had a rough 2025, but threw 5th starter level value for 186 innings and is only a year removed from a 3.63 ERA/3.84 FIP. Could the Guardians help him recapture some of that value for a year?

Nick Martinez, RHP, 35 years old – Martinez is very likely a workable fifth starter and a good reliever, but Cleveland could try a hand at unlocking more of the 3.71 career FIP as a reliever to supplant the career 4.87 FIP as a starter… or could give him a spot in their pen.

Chris Bassitt, RHP, 37 years old – 170 innings of 3.96 ERA and 4.01 FIP and playoff heroics out of the pen. A year of a better version of Carlos Carrasco, anyone?

Jordan Montgomery, LHP, 33 years old – Montgomery is recovering from elbow troubles and he had a bad 2025. But, hey, we can fix him for a year, find that 3.20 ERA/3.56 FIP pitcher from 2024. Surely.

In summary, Mahle would be the most exciting of these players to me, but Canning seems the most Guardians-like of the bunch to me.