The Cleveland Guardians’ bullpen in 2025? It was a ride-equal parts chaos and resilience.
What started with high hopes and a few key additions quickly turned into a year of scrambling, adjusting, and ultimately surviving. Yet, despite losing their All-Star closer early in the season and seeing a high-profile offseason signing flame out by midyear, Cleveland’s relief corps still finished with the third-best bullpen ERA in baseball (3.44) and helped punch the team’s ticket to the postseason.
Now, as the Guardians gear up for 2026, they’ve made it clear: depth is the name of the game.
A Bullpen Built for the Long Haul
Let’s rewind for a second. Paul Sewald was supposed to be the veteran anchor, but he logged just 15 1/3 innings before being moved at the trade deadline.
Emmanuel Clase, the flamethrower who had dominated the closer role in recent years, struggled out of the gate and was removed from the ninth-inning duties in April. Not long after, he was placed on paid leave as part of a sports betting investigation.
That’s a serious one-two punch to any bullpen’s stability.
But here’s where things get interesting: even without those two, Cleveland’s bullpen didn’t just stay afloat-it thrived. And that’s largely due to the emergence of Cade Smith.
Cade Smith: The New Anchor
Smith didn’t just fill in-he stepped up. Over 73 2/3 innings, he posted a 2.93 ERA and finished in the 98th percentile in expected ERA (2.47), 97th percentile in barrel rate (4%), and 97th percentile in strikeout rate (34.7%).
That’s elite territory. And after Clase’s departure, Smith posted a 2.79 ERA in 29 innings, showing he could handle the pressure of the closer’s role.
He may not have Clase’s velocity or notoriety (yet), but Smith brings consistency, command, and confidence to the back end of the bullpen. He’s not just a stopgap-he’s a legitimate late-inning weapon.
Hunter Gaddis: Reliable Setup Man
Right behind Smith is Hunter Gaddis, who took over eighth-inning duties and continued to show why he’s a key piece of the puzzle. His ERA jumped from 1.57 in 2024 to 3.11 in 2025, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find a pitcher still missing bats at an elite clip.
Gaddis finished in the 92nd percentile in whiff rate and 91st in chase rate. He’s got the stuff to keep hitters guessing and the mentality to handle high-leverage moments.
New Additions: A Fresh Wave of Arms
The Guardians didn’t stand pat this winter. In fact, they’ve added five new relievers to the mix: Justin Bruihl, Shawn Armstrong, Connor Brogdon, Colin Holderman, and Peyton Pallette. Each brings something different to the table, and together they give manager Stephen Vogt a deep and versatile bullpen to work with.
Let’s start with Armstrong. He’s coming off a 2.31 ERA season with the Rangers and was one of the best in the league at limiting hard contact.
He’s the kind of guy who can come in during a jam in the fifth or lock down the eighth-whatever the moment calls for. Don’t be surprised if Vogt leans on him early and often.
Bruihl, acquired from Toronto for cash, doesn’t light up the radar gun (his fastball sits around 90 mph), but his funky arm angle-releasing the ball at a 30-degree angle-gives hitters a different look. That kind of deception can be a major asset, especially against lefties.
Holderman had a rough go in 2025, but just a year earlier he posted a 3.16 ERA with the Pirates. If he’s healthy and finds his rhythm, he could be a sneaky-good middle-inning option.
Pallette and Brogdon round out the group. Pallette, formerly with the White Sox system, brings intriguing advanced metrics from the minors, while Brogdon ranked in the 92nd percentile in extension-meaning hitters see the ball later, giving them less time to react. That trait alone makes him a name to watch.
Familiar Faces Still in the Mix
Don’t forget about Matt Festa, Tim Herrin, and Erik Sabrowski-all of whom played meaningful roles in 2025. Festa, in particular, became a workhorse after being acquired in late April. Vogt seemed to trust him in every situation, and while that kind of usage can lead to the occasional blow-up, his durability made him invaluable.
Herrin had a rocky season-so much so that he was sent to Triple-A in July-but he bounced back late, holding opponents scoreless in seven of his final nine outings and delivering 1 1/3 scoreless innings in the postseason. That kind of finish could earn him another shot in 2026.
Sabrowski, meanwhile, is the top lefty in the bullpen. He’s only logged 42 regular-season appearances over the last two years, but he made the roster for all three of Cleveland’s playoff games. That says something about how much the club values his presence.
A New Era Without Clase
The loss of Emmanuel Clase undeniably shifted the Guardians’ bullpen blueprint. There’s no replacing a pitcher of his caliber one-for-one. But what Cleveland has done instead is build a bullpen by committee-one that’s deep, flexible, and filled with arms capable of handling different roles on different nights.
Whether it’s Smith closing, Gaddis setting the table, Armstrong putting out fires, or someone like Bruihl or Pallette stepping in to get a key out, this group has the potential to be one of the most reliable in baseball.
And if 2025 taught us anything, it’s that in today’s game, bullpen depth isn’t a luxury-it’s a necessity. The Guardians seem to have taken that lesson to heart.