The Cleveland Guardians are already thinking about next season. They’ve made some minor moves, and while they may not make a big splash in free agency, it’s not like they need to spend big bucks to give this team the helping hand it needs.
With that in mind, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com dug deep into the free agents list to determine some of the best pickups for this organization. Notably, he talked about RHP Mark Leiter Jr.
“Historically they’ve done a great job finding these kind of players, plugging them in and having them really have productive seasons and helping that bullpen,” Hoynes noted. “And this bullpen is going to need some help without Clase. You’re going to need another durable 60-70 appearance reliever. Leiter has done that. He has a track record of doing that.”
The Guardians have always taken pride in their ability to develop their pitchers. They’re used to having one of the most proficient and productive bullpens in all of baseball, and that formula isn’t likely to change any time soon.
Stephen Vogt turned to his bullpen early and often last season, and it worked out perfectly more often than not. In fact, they were one of the best teams in the second halves of games in the entire league. Then again, it’s also worth noting that using the bullpen so much is quite taxing.
The Guardians are all set there, at least on paper, but with all the volatility we often see in bullpens between seasons, you can never have too much depth there. Leiter isn’t a superstar by any means, but he’s a true workhorse, and that’s just what this team needs.
Cade Smith will most likely continue to be the closer. Yet, with Emmanuel Clase no longer in the premises, this team will be wise to add another reliable arm to the mix.
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