GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Guardians¡¯ 2025 starting pitching rotation is officially set, and the bullpen is close.
Manager Stephen Vogt on Sunday named lefty Logan Allen as the fifth arm when the regular season opens March 27 in Kansas City. The 26-year-old will be at the back end of a rotation that includes Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Luis Ortiz and Ben Lively.
Allen, Cleveland¡¯s 2nd round Draft pick in 2020, has started three of his six appearances this spring. He has struck out 19 in 19 innings while posting an ERA of 1.89.
Allen went 8-5 over 20 starts a year ago but wasn¡¯t on the Guardians¡¯ playoff roster in their run to the ALCS.
¡°He had a great camp,¡± Vogt said. ¡°A completely different pitcher than the one I saw last year, and that¡¯s a credit to him.¡±
Vying for a spot was Triston McKenzie, who will make his fourth career Opening Day roster with Cleveland but will come out of the bullpen.
The 27-year-old righty has 80 starts in his five years with the Guardians. After missing 146 games due to injuries in 2023, McKenzie returned to health last season but struggled with command across 16 starts before being optioned in June to Triple-A Columbus, where he remained for the year.
McKenzie this spring is 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA, issuing seven walks and 15 hits through 12 innings.
¡°We continue to believe that the best version of our team has Triston McKenzie in the rotation,¡± Vogt said. ¡°Right now, with where we are as a team, we feel like the bullpen is a place where he can thrive.¡±
The skipper added that McKenzie may pitch in long or short relief as his role evolves.
Ortiz came over in a December trade with the Pirates after the right-hander posted a career-high in wins (7), innings (135 2/3), strikeouts (107) and appearances (37) in 2024. He has struggled this spring, though, with an 0-4 mark to go along with 12 walks, 18 hits, and 19 runs allowed in 14 2/3 innings.
¡°We have seen at times the electric stuff that he has and the ability and potential that he has,¡± Cleveland general manager Mike Chernoff said Sunday. ¡°At the same time, there have been times where he just gets behind in the count early, and we¡¯ve seen him fall behind and fall into some walks.¡±
That leaves one final spot in the bullpen up for grabs for the Opening Day roster.
Williams will start for the Guardians Monday against the D-backs as spring action moves to Chase Field. Ortiz is scheduled to throw Tuesday.
The rotation will also welcome back Shane Bieber and John Means at some point in 2025.
Chernoff said Bieber could be back by midseason or ¡°maybe later than that¡± after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The left-handed Means is potentially due back after undergoing the same procedure -- his second Tommy John -- last summer.