RADIO
Guardians Acquire Lefty Starter Foster Griffin From the Nationals
The Cleveland Guardians acquired left-hander Foster Griffin from the Washington Nationals on Monday, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The Athletic's Spencer Nusbaum reports that the Guardians are sending minor-league pitchers Will Dion, Josh Hartle, and Kendeglys Virguez, and outfielder Nick Mitchell to the Nationals. The 31-year-old veteran southpaw will head to the American League Central to bolster Cleveland's starting rotation alongside Gavin Williams, Parker Messick, Joey Cantillo, and Tanner Bibee. Griffin will become a free agent after the 2026 season, so he could end up just being a rental for the rest of this year. The former first-rounder by the Kansas City Royals in 2014 has gone 12-3 this year with a 3.06 ERA (4.09 FIP) and 1.07 WHIP with 116 strikeouts and 30 walks in 22 starts and 129 1/3 innings pitched in his first big-league season since 2022 after spending the last three years playing in Japan. Griffin is currently tied for fourth in baseball with his 12 wins, and he will definitely bolster the Guards' rotation down the stretch. The lefty allowed six earned runs in 5 1/3 innings in a loss to the Atlanta Braves his last time out last Friday, but Griffin had a strong stretch from June 5 through July 19 where he didn't allow more than an earned run in any of his eight starts for the Nats.
Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
Gavin Williams Strikes Out Double-Digit Batters in Fourth Straight Start
Cleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams is having a breakout season and has been as dominant as ever of late. Williams allowed two earned runs on three hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out a season-high 12 batters in seven innings in Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds in the second game of a doubleheader. He was hit with his sixth loss of the 2026 season, but it was also Williams' fourth straight start with double-digit strikeouts. The 27-year-old has fanned 45 and walked just two in 27 innings with a 3.00 ERA and 0.63 WHIP during his four-game dominant stretch of late. Williams now has a 3.71 ERA on the year and will be a must-start in all fantasy formats for his next scheduled start against the New York Mets. Not only is Williams missing more bats than ever before in 2026, but he's also showing better command, and he has walked two or fewer batters in four straight starts as well. There is no pitcher more dominant right now than Williams in the month of July. On the season, he has struck out double-digit batters seven times.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Parker Messick a Must-Start Pitcher Amidst Breakout Campaign
Cleveland Guardians left-hander Parker Messick has been one of the breakout success stories of the 2026 season so far. Across 117 2/3 innings (20 starts), the 25-year-old has recorded an 8-5 record with a 2.68 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 116 strikeouts. Messick has been particularly effective so far in July, allowing one earned run or fewer in all three of his starts this month. With an average fastball velocity of 93.9 miles per hour and a 24.8% strikeout rate, Messick may not have true fantasy SP1 upside. However, he does an excellent job of limiting hard contact. Opposing batters have posted just a 5.4% barrel rate against Messick, and he's allowed 0.84 HR/9. The young left-hander may be in for some slight regression in the second half of the season, but he profiles as a clear must-start pitcher for fantasy managers going forward.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Gavin Williams Strikes Out 11 in Third Straight Start on Thursday
Cleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams stayed dominant in a no-decision in the team's 3-1 loss to the division-rival Minnesota Twins on Thursday at Progressive Field. Williams tossed seven shutout innings with two hits allowed, no walks, and 11 strikeouts to lower his season ERA to 3.78. The 26-year-old has taken a step forward in 2026, and he has now fanned exactly 11 hitters in three straight starts and for the fifth time this year. Williams even had a rare immaculate inning in this one for a cherry on top. In his fourth year in the majors, Williams now has a strong 1.10 WHIP with 156 strikeouts and 37 walks in his 21 starts across 126 1/3 innings pitched. The former 23rd overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft from East Carolina University has morphed into a must-start this year because of his dominance and improved walk rate. Fantasy managers should be keeping him in their lineups for his next scheduled start against the Cincinnati Reds next week. Williams faced the Reds at home on May 17 and picked up a win by allowing two earned runs with no walks and seven strikeouts in six innings.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Gavin Williams Allows Three Homers, Fans Season-High 11 Hitters
Cleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams took the loss on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he still managed to display plenty of strikeout form. Williams allowed five earned runs on seven hits (three home runs) while walking none and striking out a season-high 11 hitters in six innings for his fifth loss of the year in the 7-1 defeat at the hands of the Bucs. The long ball came back to bite Williams in a game in which he threw 65 of his 84 pitches for strikes and reached the 11-strikeout mark for the fourth time this year. It was the 26-year-old's first loss in over a month. Williams is now 10-5 on the season with a 4.00 ERA (3.86 FIP) and 1.15 WHIP with 145 strikeouts and 37 walks in a league-high 119 1/3 innings across 20 starts for the Guardians in his fourth year in the big leagues. After walking a league-high 83 batters in 2025, Williams has a career-low 7.6% walk rate coupled with a career-high 29.9% strikeout rate. He's a clear buy in fantasy baseball leagues for the second half.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Joey Cantillo has 20 Whiffs on Sunday, Must-Roster Player Moving Forward?
Cleveland Guardians left-hander Joey Cantillo wrapped up a solid first half of the season on Sunday, going up against one of the hottest lineups in the Majors, the Miami Marlins, and holding them to one run. He went five innings, allowing six hits, one earned run, two walks, and racked up nine punchouts with a very impressive 20 whiffs and 44 percent CSW (Called Strike plus Whiff rate). After Sunday's outing, Cantillo wrapped up his first half with an 8-4 record, 3.56 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and a 105:49 K:BB ratio through 20 starts (101 innings pitched). Cantillo has found tremendous success utilizing his secondary pitches, the changeup and curveball, both of which have 41.5 percent and 38.1 percent whiff rates, respectively. His fastball has left some room for improvement, but he pitches in a rotation that consistently gets the most out of its pitchers in Cleveland, and Cantillo will remain a solid option moving forward and should be rostered in all 12-plus-team formats.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Guardians Select Liam Peterson Out of Florida with 19th Overall Pick
The Cleveland Guardians are selecting right-handed pitcher Liam Peterson out of Florida with the 19th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. Peterson has spent all three of his college seasons with the Gators and has continued to increase his workload. After posting a 6.43 ERA as a first-year, Peterson has since improved in his final two seasons. In 2025, the right-hander tossed 69 1/3 innings with a 96:32 K:BB. This past season, Peterson logged a season-high 84 1/3 innings and struck out an eye-catching 111 batters while posting a career-low 3.8 BB/9. While he possesses a sharp 60-grade fastball, his calling card could be his slider, which was given an elite 65-grade during the pre-draft process according to MLB Pipeline. The other pitch to watch in his profile is his budding curveball, which some scouts have credited as his top secondary pitch. Given his extensive college experience, Peterson may not have to wait long to make his MLB debut.
Source: MLB Pipeline
Source: MLB Pipeline
Gavin Williams Strikes Out 11 to Win his 10th Game
Cleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams was dominant on Thursday to pick up his 10th win of the season in the team's 5-2 victory over the division-rival Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Williams allowed just two earned runs on three hits (one home run) while walking one and striking out 11 in seven innings of work. It was the 26-year-old's fourth outing this year with double-digit strikeouts and his sixth start with at least seven innings pitched. He will head into next week's All-Star break with a nice 3.81 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 134:37 K:BB in 113 1/3 innings pitched. Since allowing a season-high seven earned runs in five innings in a loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on June 17, Williams has allowed nine earned runs with 31 strikeouts and seven walks in 21 1/3 innings pitched against the Twins, Seattle Mariners, and the Chicago White Sox twice. The former 23rd overall pick in 2021 from East Carolina University is sporting a career-best 28.3% strikeout rate in 2026 and has lowered his walk rate from a career-high 11.8% last year to a career-low 8.3% this season.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Joey Cantillo Remains Strong Waiver-Wire Target Despite June Slide
Guardians left-hander Joey Cantillo has put together a strong 2026 campaign, posting a 3.86 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 89 strikeouts across 91 innings in 18 starts. The 26-year-old looked like one of the American League's biggest breakout pitchers early in the season before encountering some turbulence in June. Cantillo recorded a 4.50 ERA during the month, with his 11.5 BB% contributing to the inconsistency. Even so, he has consistently shown the ability to make adjustments and rebound from difficult stretches. His strikeout upside and overall body of work continue to support his fantasy value. Managers searching for rotation help should view Cantillo as a high-upside waiver wire addition in all league formats.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Tanner Bibee Succeeding With Greater Sinker Usage
Since allowing seven earned runs (five home runs) in three innings in a loss to the Washington Nationals on May 25, Cleveland Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee has leaned more on his sinker, and in his six starts since, he's posted a 2.29 ERA with just eight walks and 28 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings for a 2-2 record. Through his rough outing against the Nats, Bibee's sinker usage was at 15.8%. In his six starts since, he's used it 37.2% of the time as his primary pitch. "The sinker last year, the start of this year," said Bibee, "it was kind of like a surprise pitch. But now it just feels like a real weapon, where I can really lean on it to get quick outs, like I've been getting. Or I still can have guys freeze on it. It opens up a lot of stuff." In his first 13 starts, Bibee's opponents hit .313 against his four-seam fastball, with a 56.1% hard-hit rate, and hit .295 with a 47.8% hard-hit rate against his cutter. In his last six starts, opponents are 1-for-21 against his four-seamer with a 26.7% hard-hit rate and 3-for-28 against his cutter with a 26.1% hard-hit rate. The 27-year-old has slightly tweaked his changeup as well, so that it mimics his cutter more. Fantasy managers have to like what they've seen from Bibee as the second half of the season quickly approaches.
Source: MLB.com - Tim Stebbins
Source: MLB.com - Tim Stebbins
Joey Cantillo Emerging as a Priority Waiver-Wire Target
Across 86 innings (17 starts) in 2026, Cleveland Guardians left-hander Joey Cantillo has recorded a 6-3 record with a 3.87 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 85 strikeouts. The 26-year-old's WHIP is elevated by his 10.8% walk rate, which limits his value to fantasy managers to some degree. Still, Cantillo has limited opposing batters to a 36.6% hard-hit rate and has been a reliable innings-eater for the Guardians so far this season. Cantillo has also demonstrated a higher upside in recent outings, recording a 28.7% strikeout rate and 7% walk rate across 28 innings (five starts) in June. Especially in more favorable matchups, Cantillo profiles as a quality starting pitcher streamer. His next scheduled start will come on Wednesday against the Texas Rangers in Cleveland.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Parker Messick Continues Excellent Stretch, Strikes Out 10 Against White Sox
Cleveland Guardians left-hander Parker Messick continued to pitch well in a hard-luck loss on Tuesday night in a 2-1 game on the road against the division-rival Chicago White Sox. In fact, Tuesday was one of Messick's most dominant performances of the year. The 25-year-old southpaw allowed two earned runs on three hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out a career-high 10 hitters in 7 2/3 innings pitched. Messick threw 63 of his 95 pitches for strikes and got 17 swings and misses in the outing. The former second-round pick in 2022 out of Florida State University is having a breakout season in just his second year in the big leagues, and he's now 7-4 with a 2.67 ERA (3.16 FIP), 1.05 WHIP, and 101:29 K:BB in 94 1/3 innings across 16 starts. Messick has allowed more than three earned runs just once in his last nine starts and has a 2.89 ERA (3.25 FIP), 57 strikeouts, and 19 walks in that span in 53 innings. He's allowed two or fewer runs in seven of his last nine starts and is now rostered in over 90% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Tanner Bibee Allows Five Home Runs in Loss, Time to Drop in All Leagues?
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee had a rough outing on Monday night at home against the Nationals, giving up seven runs on eight hits, including five home runs. Bibee gave up a leadoff homer to James Wood to start things off on the wrong foot and never got any kind of momentum going. The loss dropped Bibee to 0-7 on the year with a 4.57 ERA and 4.85 FIP. He has allowed 12 homers in his 12 starts and has allowed 11 runs in his last three games. Despite Monday's home run derby, he has had a few strong outings recently. He went eight innings and gave up just one run in Detroit in his previous start, and he had three quality starts in a row before Monday's disaster. There are enough reasons for optimism to still hold onto him in deep leagues, but until he turns things around, he's not worth a roster spot in shallower formats.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Gavin Williams Dominates Phillies on Friday for Seventh Win
Cleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams was in peak form in Friday night's 1-0 shutout win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, tossing eight shutout innings with four hits allowed, no walks, and a season-high 11 strikeouts for his seventh win of the year. Williams' strong performance lowered his season ERA to 3.25, and his sweeper was electric, drawing 10 swings and misses on the night. The 26-year-old former first-rounder in 2021 out of East Carolina has had issues with control in the past, but he has turned it around so far in 2026 and came into Friday's start with a career-best 8.8% walk rate in his 10 starts. Williams has gone at least six innings pitched in each of his last seven starts and has had at least six strikeouts in his last five outings, quickly becoming a fantasy ace this year for managers. He has 84 total strikeouts and 22 walks in his 69 1/3 innings. Williams won't have an easy matchup his next time out against the Washington Nationals, but he has become a must-start in traditional fantasy leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Parker Messick Fueling Guardians' Division Lead
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Parker Messick has emerged as a bright spot in the rotation, posting a 4-1 record with a spectacular 2.30 ERA so far. In his first full season, the southpaw has been an anchor in the back half of the rotation by racking up strikeouts while limiting hits, walks, and runs. The Guardians are just a game above .500, but they're in first place in the AL Central, and Messick is a main reason why. Fans and fantasy managers can breathe a sigh of relief when he pitches, largely due to his 2.82 FIP, 9.77 K/9, and 2.11 BB/9. He's also limiting loud contact with 0.77 HR/9, and he's allowing fewer than one walk plus hit per inning. As long as Messick continues to pitch at this level, he'll rack up fantasy points while earning some All-Star consideration. Rostered in 89% of fantasy leagues, Messick is perhaps still a little undervalued. He's an intriguing target in dynasty leagues, where he could be a fantasy staple for many years to come.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
