The Guardians got exactly what they wanted from Cade Smith in Game 1 - and maybe even a little more.
Cleveland opened the American League Championship Series with a 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday, with Jose Ramirez once again driving the offense and Chase DeLauter adding his own impact. But the biggest development might have come in the ninth inning, when Smith was asked to finish it off and did so with almost no wear and tear.
That matters because Smith’s workload had already been a major storyline in the American League Division Series. He was used heavily there, including one outing in which he threw 31 pitches. With only one day off between the end of the ALDS and Game 1 of the ALCS, there were real questions about how much the closer had left.
On Monday, the answer was encouraging for Cleveland.
Smith needed just six pitches to get through the ninth. Chandler Simpson grounded out, Liam Hicks grounded out, and Yandy Diaz followed with a popout to close out the game. In a 7-3 contest, Stephen Vogt could have chosen not to use his closer at all, but on the road against a Rays team that finished with the best record in the American League during the regular season, the decision made sense.
The payoff for the Guardians is obvious. Smith came through cleanly, used almost no energy, and should be in better shape if Cleveland needs him for multiple innings in Game 2 on Tuesday. Then the off-day after Game 2 gives him a chance to reset again before the series shifts to Cleveland for Game 3.
For a team that needs its closer to stay fresh, that six-pitch ninth inning could end up being a huge swing point in the series.
In Other News...
Guardians Fans Just Got A Deeper Look At The Clase Ortiz Case
Federal prosecutors have now laid out more of the FBI investigation surrounding former Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, giving fans a fuller sense of how the case against the ex-Cleveland relievers came together. Both men face federal charges that include wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and both have pleaded not guilty as the case moves toward a November 2025 trial.
At the center of the allegations is a betting scheme in which gamblers placed large wagers on pitches thrown by the two pitchers, then reportedly cashed in on the results before money was allegedly funneled back to the players as bribes. For a franchise that spent years leaning on Clase in high-leverage spots, the latest filings only deepen the intrigue and the unease around a case that now has a clear legal timetable and plenty of unanswered questions. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Biggest ALCS Question Could Decide Everything Against The Rays
Cleveland got through the White Sox in five games to clinch the American League Division Series, and now the attention shifts to a far sharper test against a Tampa Bay club that swept the Yankees and arrives with plenty of momentum. The matchup sets up as a study in contrasting strengths, with both teams coming in after efficient October showings and a series that should be shaped as much by timely hitting as by the usual postseason pitching and defense.
The Guardians have reasons to feel good about where they stand, but the key question is whether their lineup can create enough pressure against a Rays team that already proved it can control a playoff series start to finish. Some of the clearest indicators point toward Cleveland needing certain bats to carry more weight than they did in the first round, while the pitching plan will matter just as much as the offense once the series gets back to Cleveland. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Made One ALCS Roster Choice Fans Will Be Watching
The Guardians made a notable tweak to their American League Championship Series roster ahead of facing the Rays, turning to Slade Cecconi for added pitching depth as the series moves to a best-of-seven stage. Cecconi spent the regular season in the rotation, making 21 starts, but he has recently shifted into a relief role, giving Cleveland another arm it can deploy in a potentially longer series where bullpen coverage matters.
Daniel Schneeman, meanwhile, was left off the ALCS roster after not appearing in the previous ALDS games. The move underscores how tightly Cleveland is managing its postseason bench and pitching mix, with every spot carrying extra weight now that the margin for error has shrunk and the roster decisions are becoming harder to read as the matchup with Tampa Bay unfolds. [Read more 🡒]