Guardians should consider reuniting with this free agent pitcher

Will the Cleveland Guardians feature some notable starting pitchers like Corbin Burns’ Blake Snell? Probably not.

But that doesn’t mean they can’t improve their rotation this offseason. One way to do that is to bring back one of the starters who was an integral part of the rotation from 2021-23.

The Colorado Rockies waived Cal Countrill on Friday night, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The right-hander is coming off a respectable 2024 season in which he posted a 4.98 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 93 ERA+. This includes solid numbers at Coors Field, which is notorious for inflating pitchers’ statistics due to its high altitude.

The Guardians traded Quantrill almost a year ago to gain more options on the 40-man roster. But a lot has changed since then.

With Quantrill looking for a starting job and the Guardians needing more players in the rotation, reuniting the two teams would make a lot of sense.

The Guardians are also familiar with Quantrill as a pitcher from his four previous seasons in Cleveland. They would know exactly what type of pitcher and person they would bring to the team.

It’s also important to note that Quantrill pitched fairly well overall when he was in Cleveland. During those three and a half seasons with the team, Cal had a 3.58 ERA and 1.250 WHIP.

Unfortunately, his final season in Cleveland was filled with trips to the injured list, which impacted Quantrill’s ability to find his way.

Cal won’t solve all of Cleveland’s starting pitching problems, but he would be a solid option as a fourth or fifth starter in the rotation if he can stay healthy.