Guardians Make Changes to Pitching Staff with New Roster Moves
The Cleveland Guardians made some roster adjustments on Sunday, recalling Tim Herrin and optioning Joey Cantillo to Triple-A. 
Over the past six weeks, the Guardians’ pitching staff has been one of the most effective in baseball. However, signs of fatigue are starting to show as both the starters and relievers have struggled in recent outings.
To address the need for a fresh arm, Cleveland made a few key moves to strengthen the bullpen. Here’s a breakdown of the changes:
Tim Herrin – Recalled From Triple-A
With the bullpen covering a significant number of innings over the last few games, the Guardians needed to add a fresh arm. They opted to recall Tim Herrin from Triple-A for added depth.
Herrin has appeared in 39 MLB games this season, posting a 4.06 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. In his eight minor-league appearances, he has allowed three earned runs over eight innings (3.38 ERA) with a 1.50 WHIP.
His numbers this season have been a far cry from his strong 2024 performance when he was Cleveland’s go-to left-handed reliever. One of Herrin’s main struggles this year has been his control—his walk rate has jumped significantly from 3.43 walks per nine innings in 2024 to 6.97 in 2025.
Despite not being in top form, the 28-year-old will provide much-needed depth for the Guardians, especially in their upcoming series finale against the Atlanta Braves and against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Joey Cantillo – Optioned To Triple-A
To make room for Herrin on the roster, the Guardians optioned left-hander Joey Cantillo to Triple-A.
Cantillo most recently pitched on Friday night against the Braves, giving up one earned run and five hits in 5.0 innings. On the season, he has a 3.93 ERA and 1.42 WHIP, splitting time between starting and relieving.
It will be interesting to see how Cantillo is utilized at Triple-A, but keeping him stretched out as a starter seems likely, as it would provide Cleveland with a future rotation option.
This move raises another important question: with Cantillo now optioned, who will fill the fifth spot in the Guardians’ rotation? Kolby Allard could step in, as he’s already made starts this season, but with the bullpen being heavily taxed, a bullpen game might not be ideal.
Cantillo’s optioning could also open the door for prospect Parker Messick to earn his first big-league call-up.
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