Alex

Cobb

The deal, which was agreed to earlier this week, is now official after Cobb passed his physical. The 37-year-old veteran hurler’s ongoing injury issues curtail his realistic upside for fantasy purposes, but he’s remained a viable streaming option for fantasy managers in recent years, especially in deeper mixed leagues. He was limited to just three starts last year with the division-rival Guardians due to hip, shoulder and blister issues. He’s unlikely to reverse a three-year decline in strikeout rate, but his above-average control remains intact. He’s probably best left on the waiver wire to open the year, but if he’s healthy there aren’t a ton of more pitcher-friendly ballparks than Detroit, especially in the early portion of the year when the temperatures are near the freezing mark.

The deal is pending a physical, which is important since Cobb struggled with injuries (again) in 2024, pitching just 16 1/3 innings for the Guardians after they acquired him from the Giants at the trade deadline. The 37-year-old does have a 3.84 career ERA in 233 MLB starts, so he will provide a reliable veteran presence for this young Tigers’ rotation and will likely be a useful fantasy starter when he’s healthy. However, it would be irresponsible for fantasy managers to expect a fully healthy season from Cobb in 2025.

Cobb suffered the strained back in his start against the Yankees in Game 1. The right-hander would be eligible to come back to the roster if the Guardians are to advance to the World Series, but there’s a very good chance his season is over due to the injury even if that takes place.

Cobb got threw two scoreless before giving up a homer to Juan Soto to lead off the third. After he followed that with a walk to Aaron Judge, he was visited by the trainer, presumably to see if he was having issues with the troublesome finger that put him on the IL in September. He remained in the game and got to two outs, but he was pulled with the bases loaded. The stunning thing was that Stephen Vogt, instead of going to any of his quality relievers, brought in a starter with control issues in Joey Cantillo. Cantillo wound up throwing two run-scoring wild pitches that inning and two more before being pulled in the fourth. The Guardians were never really in the game after that. It’s understandable that Vogt didn’t want to burn out a pen still weary from the ALDS, but if that was the case, he was certainly better off relying on Cobb in a bases-loaded situation in the third.

Cobb gave up a run on a couple of singles in the first and then another after a leadoff double and a sac fly in the third. He had thrown just 41 pitches when he was removed, but this was expected to be a rather short start, given that he hadn’t pitched in a game since Sept. 1 because of his finger issues.

There had been some question of whether it would be Cobb or Joey Cantillo who would get the start after Gavin Williams said himself that he would be used out of the bullpen this series. Now we know it will be the 37-year-old veteran taking the ball. Cobb pitched just 16 1/3 innings this season for the Guardians after coming over in a deadline deal with the Giants; however, he has allowed just two runs on 13 hits in 11 2/3 career postseason innings while striking out 10 and walking three, so Vogt will turn to that experience over the rookie Cantillo.

That leaves no room for Ben Lively. Cobb makes the team despite not having pitched since Sept. 1 due to a finger blister. We imagine he’ll start Game 3 over Cantillo, but we’ll see. The other mild surprise here is that utilityman Tyler Freeman, who finished the season in Triple-A, has made the roster over Angel Martínez.

With Joey Cantillo already up on the active roster, the Guardians don’t need another starting pitcher right now, so they’ll call up Walters to take Alex Cobb’s spot on the active roster now that the veteran starter is headed to the IL. The 23-year-old has a 2.32 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 79 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this year in his first season in professional baseball. If he gets into a game for the Guardians, it will be his MLB debut.

Since Cobb has been traded to the Guardians, he has dealt with blisters and a cracked fingernail. Sadly, injuries have become par for the course for Cobb over his career. The Guardians hope that the 36-year-old will only need the minimum amount of time on the IL. Andrew Walters was called up from Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Cobb was originally slated to face the Dodgers this weekend, but that’s no longer happening. The oft-injured 36-year-old veteran has been effective, when healthy, over the last few years, which keeps him on fantasy managers’ radar screens. He developed a small bister surface on the inside of the middle finger on his right hand during last Sunday’s outing against the Pirates. No word on when he’ll be ready to take the ball again. It’ll be Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee moving up in Cleveland’s rotation to start this weekend at Dodger Stadium.