Some fans may not like the Cleveland Guardians’ approach to building their roster. They don’t throw money around like the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers, and they’re rarely going to go after the most prominent names in the game.
However, that hasn’t stopped the Guardians from being a perennial playoff team. Fans may not like the way they handle business, but the results speak for themselves.
With that in mind, Guardians Prospective took to social media to commend the Cleveland front office for the way it has put together the bullpen, a unit that is one of the biggest bargains in baseball. Their closer and top-two setup relievers will make a combined $2.34 million next season.
Cleveland #Guardians current closer and setup men will only make a combined $2,340,000 for the 2026 season. Talk about getting bang for your buck….
All three have done a tremendous job since the start of the 2024 season:
Cade Smith (Closer)
ERA – 2.42
FIP – 1.67
fWAR – 5.4…— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) December 3, 2025
Cade Smith is expected to keep his job after an excellent season. He posted a 2.42 ERA with a 1.67 FIP and an fWAR of 5.4. Hunter Gaddis, the right-handed setup man, was also spectacular with a 2.29 ERA, a 3.14 FIP, and an fWAR of 2.5. Last but not least, Erik Sabrowski, the left-handed setup man, had a 1.29 ERA, a 2.86 FIP, and an fWAR of 0.7.
The Guardians’ bullpen has been lights out in the past couple of years. The team’s pitching coaching staff is among the best in the game.
Now, they should look to bring a couple of fresh arms this offseason to make sure they stay at the top. Given the way they’ve spent their money wisely, they should have plenty to spare for free agents.
NEXT: Guardians Named Potential Fit For All-Star Shortstop
