DETROIT -- The Guardians first addressed their lineup, and now, they brought in extra reinforcements to help add to their starting pitching depth.

Cleveland acquired right-hander Alex Cobb from San Francisco during Tuesday afternoon’s 5-0 win over Detroit at Comerica Park in exchange for Minor League hurler Jacob Bresnahan and a player to be named later.

TRADE DETAILS:
Guardians get: RHP Alex Cobb
Giants get: LHP Jacob Bresnahan and a player to be named later

Cobb is an intriguing pickup, simply because no one knows what to expect from the righty who has yet to throw a pitch in a big league game in 2024. Cobb underwent hip surgery over the offseason and was hoping to return to the Major League rotation in May, but right shoulder irritation got in the way. Once he began taking nerve medication, he started to make progress and began a rehab assignment last month.

It finally seemed like Cobb’s first start could come as early as this week, but another snag got in the way, as a blister slowed him down again. But once that’s healed, it seems the right-hander will reach the end of a long recovery journey. In six Minor League rehab appearances, he’s posted a 3.93 ERA with 24 strikeouts over 18 1/3 innings.

Cobb was an All-Star in 2023, logging a 3.87 ERA over 28 starts. At 36 years old, he will bring a veteran presence to a young Cleveland rotation, especially if Carlos Carrasco is removed as Cobb and Matthew Boyd (who is also working through a rehab assignment) are plugged in.

The Guardians need starting pitching help. They have Tanner Bibee and Ben Lively, who have been relatively consistent for them all season long. And if Gavin Williams -- who allowed two hits in five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts in the win over the Tigers -- pitches like he did on Tuesday for the remainder of the season, three spots in the rotation are set in stone. But Carrasco and the fifth spot, which is currently filled by No. 10 prospect Joey Cantillo, are still question marks. That’s where Boyd and Cobb will fit in.

This time, the Guardians had to part ways with Bresnahan and a player to be named later. Bresnahan is just 19 years old, but he has been cruising in the Minors this year. In 11 starts in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League, he owned a 2.54 ERA with 63 strikeouts and 16 walks in 46 innings. He had recently been promoted to Single-A Lynchburg.