The Guardians are getting a bullpen boost at a sharp time.
Cleveland announced Wednesday that right-hander Shawn Armstrong has been activated from the 60-day injured list after working his way back from a left calf strain suffered in late July. To clear space, the club designated Connor Brogdon for assignment.
The timing matters. Cleveland has won 21 of its last 30 games, has climbed back into first place in the AL Central, and owns an 82-75 record that puts it one game ahead of the Chicago White Sox as of Wednesday afternoon. The Guardians can even clinch a postseason berth on Wednesday with a win paired with a Texas Rangers or Houston Astros loss.
Brogdon’s stay on the roster was brief. He had been called up only ten days ago and appeared in just one game during his latest MLB stint, throwing 0.2 scoreless innings with a strikeout on September 14. The 31-year-old will now likely go through waivers, and if he clears, there’s a chance he returns to the Guardians’ minor leagues.
Armstrong, meanwhile, came to Cleveland as the team’s major free-agent addition in the offseason. The Guardians signed the 36-year-old to a one-year, $5.5 million deal after he put up a 2.31 ERA last season with the Texas Rangers.
This season, Armstrong posted a 4.91 ERA over 33 innings before the calf injury landed him on the injured list. He was first placed on the 15-day IL on July 24 and later moved to the 60-day IL on August 3.
Cleveland’s bullpen has been one of its strengths, but Armstrong still profiles as one of the group’s more trusted arms when he’s right. His veteran presence fits alongside younger power relievers like Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowski, and Daniel Espino.
Now Armstrong has a few days to make his case to manager Stephen Vogt and prove he belongs on the playoff roster if the Guardians finish the job and secure their spot.
In Other News...
Guardians Moved Within Reach Of October After A Win That Got Tense
The Guardians gave themselves another October boost with a fast start and enough steady work from the mound to hold off a late push. Angel Martnez, David Fry and Nathaniel Lowe all helped build the early cushion, and Parker Messick did his part in a five-inning start before the bullpen took over to finish the job.
Tim Herrin, Craig Yoho, Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith each had a hand in protecting the lead, keeping Cleveland in control even as the game tightened down the stretch. The win leaves the Guardians with a magic number of two to clinch a playoff spot, and depending on how the other results break, it could shrink to one before long. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Are Suddenly One Step Closer To A Clinch After Another Thriller
The Guardians kept finding ways to survive on September 22, outlasting the Red Sox 3-2 in another tight, late-September game that fit the tone of a team trying to finish the job. Nathaniel Lowe provided the decisive blow with a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning, while Parker Messick did enough in his start to keep Cleveland in position before the bullpen took over.
Cade Smith finished it off and reached 40 saves on the year, a notable marker for a club that has leaned on its late-inning arm all season. The bigger picture is even better for Cleveland: its magic number to clinch a playoff spot is down to two, and the Guardians still sit atop the AL Central as the calendar turns toward the final stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Vogts Late-Game Guardians Move Is Becoming A Real October Weapon
Travis Bazzanas rookie season has come with the usual growing pains, and for Stephen Vogt, that has meant getting creative when games tighten up late. The Guardians manager has turned to Angel Genao as a defensive replacement in key spots, using his versatility around the infield to help shore up a young roster when the margin for error shrinks. It is the sort of September adjustment contenders make when every clean inning and every sure-handed exchange starts to matter more.
Against the Red Sox, that move paid off in a big way, as Genao made a crucial defensive play that helped close out the win and trim Clevelands magic number to clinch a postseason berth. The contrast between the two young infielders has become part of the clubs late-game equation, with Genao offering the steadier glove right now while Bazzana continues to work through the challenges of his first full season. For a team trying to lock down October, those small swaps can carry outsized weight. [Read more 🡒]