Guardians Bring Back a Familiar Arm as Bullpen Reload Continues
CLEVELAND - The Guardians are serious about building a bullpen that can go the distance in 2026, and their latest move adds a familiar face to the mix. Cleveland has signed veteran right-hander Shawn Armstrong, continuing an offseason trend of stacking experienced arms in the ‘pen.
Armstrong isn’t just another depth piece - he’s coming off a season where he quietly logged one of the heaviest workloads in the league. Pitching in 71 games for the Texas Rangers, Armstrong tied for 13th-most appearances among all Major League pitchers in 2025.
He threw 74 innings, struck out 71, and held opposing hitters to a stingy .157 batting average. That’s the kind of production that plays in high-leverage spots, especially for a team that values reliability and matchup flexibility late in games.
This move marks a homecoming of sorts. Armstrong was originally drafted by Cleveland in the 18th round back in 2011 and made his big league debut with the club in August 2015.
He spent parts of two seasons in a Guardians uniform before being traded to Seattle in December 2017. Now 35, Armstrong returns to where it all began, this time with a lot more mileage - and experience - under his belt.
He joins a growing list of bullpen additions this winter, including Zak Kent, Colin Holderman, and Conor Brogdon. Each brings a different look, and together they signal a clear organizational focus: reinforce the bullpen with arms who can give consistent innings and handle the grind of a 162-game season.
To clear space on the 40-man roster for Armstrong, Cleveland designated lefty Justin Bruihl for assignment. Bruihl had just been acquired from the Blue Jays a day earlier in a cash deal, but the front office clearly prioritized Armstrong’s track record and familiarity with the organization.
Cleveland’s bullpen was already shaping up to be one of the more intriguing units in the American League, and Armstrong’s return only adds to that narrative. He’s not the same pitcher who left in 2017 - he’s more seasoned, more polished, and still effective. And for a Guardians team looking to compete in a tightly packed AL Central, every reliable arm counts.