At this point, Cade Smith has moved way beyond the label he carried in the middle of last season. Back then, he was a setup arm in the Cleveland Guardians bullpen. Now he’s a postseason force, and the case that he’s the best closer in the majors is getting harder to ignore.
The latest example came Monday night in Game 1 of the ALCS, when Smith finished off Cleveland’s 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. He was only asked to throw six pitches to lock down the victory, another sharp reminder of how cleanly he’s handling October.
“Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith only needed six pitches to cap a Game One victory over the Rays tonight. Line - 1.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 0SO (6 Pitches 6 Strikes). 2026 postseason: 7.2(IP) 2H 1ER 1BB 11SO 1.17 ERA,” Guardians Prospective posted.
Smith has now pitched in all six of Cleveland’s playoff games and has allowed just one earned run in 7.2 innings. That kind of run would stand out anywhere, but it feels even louder when you consider how frequently he’s been used.
He has only one save in those six outings, despite tying for the major-league lead with 41 during the regular season. The reason is simple: manager Stephen Vogt has leaned on him in nearly every late-game scenario, whether Cleveland was trying to hold close against the Chicago White Sox in the ALDS, protect a big lead, or slam the door after the comeback against the Rays.
That usage has drawn some questions, especially after Smith didn’t finish Game 4 against the White Sox and Gavin Williams had to make his first career relief appearance before starting Game 5. But neither pitcher looked taxed after that sequence. Williams dominated Chicago in the deciding game, and Smith wrapped it up.
Smith’s efficiency is a big part of why the workload hasn’t looked alarming. Against the Rays, the 27-year-old needed just six pitches to work the ninth, which should leave him fresh if Cleveland calls on him again in Game 2 on Tuesday.
Hunter Gaddis has been just as steady in his own role. Cleveland’s primary setup man has appeared in every postseason game too, and after throwing a scoreless seventh on Monday, he still hasn’t allowed a run in 5.1 innings. He’s picked up one win, two holds, no walks, and seven strikeouts.
With Parker Messick and Williams lined up to start Games 2 and 3, Smith figures to keep getting the ball as this best-of-7 series rolls on. If Cleveland keeps handing him leads, he’s making a habit of ending them.
In Other News...
Guardians Just Flipped This ALCS In Their Favor Early
The Guardians opened the AL Championship Series by taking Game 1 from the Rays, 7-3, and in the process gave themselves an early edge in a series that now shifts to Tropicana Field. Foster Griffin set the tone with four strong innings, and Cleveland got useful offense throughout the night from Chase DeLauter, Patrick Bailey, Jose Ramirez and Jo Adell as the lineup kept putting pressure on Tampa Bay.
For a club trying to seize control early in a short series, the timing of the big hits mattered just as much as the final margin. Cleveland turned a tight game into a more comfortable finish before the inning-by-inning tension fully settled, and with a 1-0 lead in hand, the Guardians have already made the Rays feel like they are chasing from behind. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Pulled Off Another October Rally Fans Wont Forget
The opening game of the American League Championship Series had the feel of an old October script for Cleveland, with Tampa Bay jumping out to a two-run lead in the first inning and the Guardians left to climb out of another early hole. Instead of letting the moment get away from them, Cleveland kept putting traffic on the bases and waited for the swing that could change the game, eventually stacking together enough offense to turn a tense start into a night that felt very much in line with the way this club has won so many big games.
Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey delivered the kind of extra-base jolts that can flip a postseason game in a hurry, and Jos Ramrez kept the pressure on with three hits and an RBI as the innings wore on. By the time the Guardians were protecting a 7-3 lead in the ninth, the story had become less about the early deficit and more about a lineup that never stopped answering, while Clevelands pitching made sure Tampa Bay never found a late counterpunch and the series opened with the Guardians in control. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Face A Game 2 Problem They Can't Let Snowball
The Guardians are heading into an important Game 2 with Parker Messick lined up to take the ball, and the challenge is clear enough from the matchup in front of them. They will have to find a way to work around Freddy Peraltas changeup while getting something going from the top and middle of the order, where Steven Kwan, Travis Bazzana, Angel Martinez and Brayan Rocchio all loom as key pieces in the plan.
Tampa Bay is also the kind of opponent that can make a game feel louder than it is, with aggressive tactics that put pressure on every inning. For Cleveland, the concern is not just winning the matchup on paper, but keeping the game from tilting into the kind of early trouble that can snowball fast in October. [Read more 🡒]