Cade Smith is embarking on his first full season as a major league closer. Even though he was exceptional for the Cleveland Guardians, replacing Emmanuel Clase last season, having the responsibility from Opening Day has a different set of challenges.
Smith had his first rough outing of the season on Monday, when he gave up two runs to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the bottom of the ninth before escaping with a 4-2 victory. It came after his first blown save on Saturday, when he gave up a ninth-inning run to the Seattle Mariners in a 6-5, 10-inning win.
Despite those early struggles, analyst Bruce Drennan has a strong belief in Smith, who he sees as one of the top three closers in the game.
“We lost, arguably, the best closer in all of Major League Baseball in Emmanuel Clase because of his stupidity. We enter the 2026 season with Cade Smith. Every single [fantasy magazine], I guarantee you, has Cade Smith as one of the top three closers in all of baseball. It’s amazing,” Drennan said.
Bruce says even without Clase, the Cleveland Guardians might not miss a beat 👀 Do you agree? #GuardsBall
"Every single one of them, I guarantee you, has Cade Smith as one of the top 3 closers in all of baseball!" pic.twitter.com/BFJWacCJKm
— Bruce Drennan Show (@Bruce_Drennan) March 31, 2026
Smith did look sharp in his season debut, needing just 13 pitches to retire the Mariners in order in the ninth inning of a 6-4 Opening Day victory. It came after he was somewhat limited in spring training by a stiff neck that he suffered at the beginning of camp.
The right-hander began last season as the primary setup man for Clase, who was coming off his second Reliever of the Year Award in 2024. Things changed significantly in late July, when Clase was placed on leave due to his involvement in an MLB gambling investigation.
Smith rose to the challenge and went 6-1 with 13 saves over the final two months of the season, helping the Guardians overcome a historic deficit to win the AL Central. Now, in his third MLB season, he is being counted on to handle the role all year.
With a talented but somewhat unproven starting rotation and an offense that is not expected to carry the team, the Guardians cannot afford to squander games they have a chance to win. With reliever Hunter Gaddis working his way back from forearm tightness, Smith could face a heavier load early on, which could test his stamina later in the season.
But based on his potential and his performance last year, he should be up to the task.
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