CLEVELAND — After a rough opening to his 2026 season, Guardians starting pitcher Slade Cecconi went back to the lab, and he brought co-scientist and catcher Patrick Bailey with him.
Together, the two might have found the right formula, along with the help of the rest of the Guardians' pitching staff.
Cecconi was knocked around in his first eight starts of the season to the tune of a 6.15 ERA. But since May 9, when the Guardians acquired Bailey via trade? Cecconi has completely turned it around and posted a 2.55 ERA in nine outings. Over that time period, it's the third best ERA among American League starting pitchers. Only New York's Cam Schlittler and Tampa's Drew Rasmussen have been better.
Of course, it isn't quite that simple as to why Cecconi has found his groove, but it's certainly part of the equation. The two have instantly meshed.
"He's really receptive to having conversations between starts and after outings where we both can get on the same page as to how we want to define my identity as a pitcher," Cecconi said after a six-inning gem in the Guardians' win over the Seattle Mariners June 27. "Because that's something I'm still discovering, if that makes sense."
Together, the two might have found the right formula, along with the help of the rest of the Guardians' pitching staff.
Cecconi was knocked around in his first eight starts of the season to the tune of a 6.15 ERA. But since May 9, when the Guardians acquired Bailey via trade? Cecconi has completely turned it around and posted a 2.55 ERA in nine outings. Over that time period, it's the third best ERA among American League starting pitchers. Only New York's Cam Schlittler and Tampa's Drew Rasmussen have been better.
Of course, it isn't quite that simple as to why Cecconi has found his groove, but it's certainly part of the equation. The two have instantly meshed.
"He's really receptive to having conversations between starts and after outings where we both can get on the same page as to how we want to define my identity as a pitcher," Cecconi said after a six-inning gem in the Guardians' win over the Seattle Mariners June 27. "Because that's something I'm still discovering, if that makes sense."
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