The Cleveland Guardians are heading into 2026 with a question that’s been looming since midseason last year: Who’s the ace now?
With Shane Bieber no longer in the picture-he missed the start of last season recovering from surgery and was later dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline-the Guardians are looking for their next frontline starter to step up. And if you’re scanning the roster for the most likely successor, Tanner Bibee’s name jumps off the page.
Bibee has been a workhorse for Cleveland. Over the last three seasons, he’s led the team in both starts and innings pitched-a sign of durability and trust from the coaching staff. That kind of consistency in availability is rare in today’s game, and it’s a big reason why many around the organization still see him as the de facto ace, even if the title hasn’t been made official.
Last year, Bibee was in line to get the Opening Day start-a nod to his emergence and the confidence the team had in him-but a bout of food poisoning kept him off the mound. It was a frustrating twist in a season that had its share of ups and downs for the young right-hander.
While he showed flashes of dominance, there were stretches where his command wavered and emotions got the better of him. That volatility is part of the growing pains for a young pitcher trying to establish himself as the face of a rotation.
But here’s the upside: the Guardians aren’t short on options. They may not have a clear-cut Cy Young contender right now, but what they do have is a deep stable of capable arms. This is a team that’s thrived on pitching development for years, and 2026 should be no different.
Keep an eye on Parker Messick and Joey Cantillo. Both pitchers made strong impressions down the stretch last season and could factor heavily into the rotation mix this spring.
Messick, with his poise and pitchability, looked like someone ready to take on a bigger role. Cantillo, meanwhile, flashed the kind of stuff that can miss bats in bunches-always a good sign when you’re projecting rotation upside.
And then there’s Khal Stephen. He’s not quite there yet, but he’s on the radar. If he continues his development and checks the right boxes, don’t be surprised if he’s knocking on the door by midseason.
The Guardians’ track record with pitchers speaks for itself. This is one of the best pitching development systems in the league, and they’ve consistently turned promising arms into reliable big-league contributors. That bodes well for someone like Bibee, who has the tools to be a frontline guy-it’s just a matter of putting it all together.
So while the “ace” label might still be up for grabs, the Guardians are in a good spot. They’ve got depth, upside, and a coaching staff that knows how to get the most out of its pitchers. If Bibee can find the consistency to match his talent, he won’t just be the Opening Day starter-he’ll be the anchor of the rotation Cleveland needs.