The Cleveland Guardians have been one of the hottest teams in baseball over the last month. Since the All-Star break, the Guardians are 17-9 and have played themselves right back into the American League playoff picture.
They have done so without Emmanuel Clase, one of the most dominant relievers in baseball, who is on non-paid administrative leave due to a potential gambling probe. However, this has allowed new arms to get opportunities in save situations.
Cade Smith has been the Guardians’ go-to pitcher
It’s hard for pitchers to switch roles and become the ninth-inning option, especially those without experience, but Cade Smith has been the go-to option for Stephen Vogt.
Since July 28, the day the Clase news broke, Smith has a 0.96 ERA and a WHIP below 0.700.
In just his second MLB season, he’s putting together another impressive campaign. Over 54 innings, his ERA is 2.76, and he’s also added six saves in limited opportunities. In 2024, he posted a 1.91 ERA in 75.1 innings and put the league on notice as one of the premier relievers in the sport. He also had 103 K’s in those 75.1 innings, which is phenomenal as a rookie.
If the Guardians want to complete what would be an impressive comeback and end up making the playoffs, Smith will be a crucial part of it, and if the last three weeks are any indication of their changes, Cade Smith is up for the challenge as well.
A lot of MLB pitchers tend to have opposite results of Smith in the last month, oftentimes regressing when they get ninth-inning opportunities.
