Two weeks ago when the Cleveland Guardians were in the midst of a 10-game losing streak, pitcher Slade Cecconi made a bold statement. "We're going to see ourselves in a great spot at the end of the season,

CLEVELAND, Ohio - In a season where the Guardians find themselves underwater at 46-49 heading out of the All-Star break, finding reasons for optimism requires some digging. But during the latest “Terry’s Talkin’” podcast, cleveland.com columnist Terry Pluto didn’t hesitate when asked about his biggest pleasant surprise of the season.

The Cleveland Guardians entered the 2025 season with their starting rotation in disarray. An injury to Ben Lively and the struggles of Triston McKenzie, combined with Matthew Boyd’s departure, left the pitching staff searching for answers.

The Guardians may well be sellers at the trade deadline this season. Cleveland sits 12 games behind the Tigers in the American League Central and 4.5 games back in the Wild Card chase. They won six of their final ten heading into the Break which has them positioned squarely on the fence in terms of buying or selling at the deadline.