Guardians starting pitchers have a 6.70 ERA through the team’s first nine games, the fifth worst in team history.
| Year |
ERA |
SP |
| 2009 |
9.28 |
Cliff Lee, Fausto Carmona, Carl Pavano, Scott Lewis, Anthony Reyes, Aaron Laffey |
| 1997 |
8.39 |
Charles Nagy, Orel Hershiser, Bartolo Colon, Chad Ogea, Jack McDowell |
| 1987 |
8.17 |
Tom Candiotti, Greg Swindell, Phil Niekro, Scott Bailes, Ken Schrom |
| 2001 |
6.89 |
Bartolo Colon, Chuck Finley, Dave Burba, CC Sabathia, Tim Drew |
| 2025 |
6.70 |
Ben Lively, Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee, Luis Ortiz, Logan Allen |
Through his first 10 starts with Cleveland, Ben Lively has a 2.59 ERA. Over the last 100 years, its the seventh lowest ERA through a pitcher’s first 10 starts with Cleveland.
Gaylord Perry (1.69) has the lowest in that span from 1972, followed closely by another 1972 acquisition Milt Wilcox.
Here are the nine pitchers with an ERA under 3.00 through their first 10 starts with Cleveland over the last 50 seasons:
Ben Lively has a 2.80 ERA with 43 strikeouts through his first eight starts.
Lively’s previous low ERA through an stretch of eight starts was 3.70 as a rookie with the 2017 Phillies.
He’s the 13th pitcher in franchise history with at least 40 strikeouts and an ERA under 3.00 through eight starts with the franchise.
The others:
- Danny Salazar, 2013
- Bert Blyleven, 1981
- Dennis Eckersley, 1975
- Milt Wilcox, 1972
- Gaylord Perry, 1972
- Stan Williams, 1967
- Tom Kelley, 1965-66
- Luis Tiant, 1964
- Jack Kralick, 1963
- Herb Score, 1955
- Allie Reynolds, 1943
- Gene Krapp, 1911