Of all the question marks for the Guardians to answer when spring camp broke, a late entry shot up to the top of the list: How would they fill Triston McKenzie 's spot in the rotation?
McKenzie, in his final spring tune-up, sustained a teres major muscle strain that will have him sidelined until, potentially, late May based on the estimated timetable given by the team. He'll still need to be re-evaluated by the club's medical staff soon.
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That shook up what was the most stable area of the roster when the team reported to camp in February. It also led to a minor shakeup with the Guardians pitching staff plans.
Hunter Gaddis was supposed to open the 2023 regular season in the Guardians bullpen but was moved into McKenzie's spot in the rotation. Xzavion Curry then took that final spot in the bullpen.
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The Guardians have a number of young starting pitchers who made their major league debuts in 2022 and could again make an impact in 2023. The first crack to fill McKenzie's rotation spot went to Gaddis. And the key to him staying there? It's likely the development of his breaking ball.
Gaddis' bread-and-butter is his fastball-changeup mix. But in order to get through a lineup multiple times, it's difficult to only rely on a two-pitch setup. In Gaddis' first outing of the season, March 31 in Seattle , he threw his breaking ball only three times.
But it was more of a weapon Wednesday afternoon in Oakland , when he held the A's to just one hit across six scoreless innings. In that outing, he threw his breaking ball 10 times. That increased usage is a key for Gaddis, and he needs a third pitch that is at least effective enough that opposing hitters have to worry about it more than a couple times a game.
"He always has good life on his fastball, but I thought he spun the ball better, like his curveballs, and he's got that pretty good changeup to go with his fastball," manager Terry Francona told reporters in Oakland . "When you add that third pitch, that starts letting you get through the order a couple times."
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It's a similar situation that Eli Morgan and Sam Hentges went through over the last couple seasons. Both were pushed into starting roles due to injury, and both attempted to expand their repertories in order to get through the lineup multiple times. In both cases, returning to the bullpen has been a positive move, as it has allowed them to focus on their best offerings.
In Gaddis' case, as long as he remains in the rotation, he'll need to mix in that third offering. Wednesday's outing was best-case scenario for the Guardians as they try to piece together McKenzie's spot in the rotation for the next several weeks.
Gaddis was hit hard in his 18.1 innings last year, and he didn't get off to the best start this season. It remains to be seen if Gaddis can hold down McKenzie's spot in the rotation until his rehab is complete. But his start Wednesday was a major step in the right direction as he develops on the fly.
"He was tremendous. He really pitched well," Francona said. "We'll take that every time. That was really fun to watch. He was fired up, as he should be."
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians starter Hunter Gaddis tosses gem thanks to more curveballs
