The Cleveland Guardians entered Monday’s action ranked 17th in baseball with a 4.05 team ERA. The bullpen boasts a 4.98 ERA that ranks 23rd in the league, so one might think it’s nothing to write home about.
That number, however, might be a bit misleading. It includes, for example, five runs allowed on Sunday by Kolby Allard in mop-up duty. Additionally, the FIP, or Fielding Independent Pitching, for the Guardians’ bullpen is a much more decent 4.35, good enough to rank 17th.
The unit is also inside the top five in strikeouts per nine innings, with 10.77, ranking fourth before Monday’s game. To sum up, the Guardians’ bullpen is better than you think, and Cleveland sports personality Bruce Drennan thinks so, too.
“The pen. Disbelievers, to me, I question whether they really know baseball. If you are trailing by a run or two, or tied, or the Guardians are winning by a run or two, you get the game to the 6th inning, and they have got an outstanding chance of winning because of this bullpen,” Drennan said.
How far can the Guardians go with this AMAZING bullpen? #GuardsBall
"Get the game to the 6th inning, and they have got an outstanding chance of winning."
-Bruce
presented by @FanDuel https://t.co/UCxs9le8gJ pic.twitter.com/HgqJBPCOdg
— Bruce Drennan Show (@Bruce_Drennan) April 13, 2026
There are several unsung stars in this unit, starting with Erik Sabrowksi. The lefty has pitched eight shutout innings to this point, with a 46.2 percent strikeout rate, too. Fellow left-hander Tim Herrin accumulates 3.1 scoreless frames, too.
Cade Smith’s 5.63 ERA might be misleading, but he has been much better than his numbers suggest. His 3.43 FIP is much closer to reality.
Connor Brogdon boasts a 3.18 ERA, and Shawn Armstrong is at 2.35. Oh, and Hunter Gaddis is already back, and Franco Aleman and Andrew Walters should return eventually, too.
Another name could join the group of flamethrowers later this season. It’s none other than Daniel Espino, who is finally healthy after battling shoulder woes for years.
Cleveland’s bullpen still has some guys yet to hit their stride. For example, Matt Festa boasts an 8.10 ERA, and Peyton Pallette is at 4.70. Both of them have the talent to improve, though.
Overall, it’s a solid group with some particularly tough lefties and a couple of dominant righties. If Gaddis regains his velocity and Smith leaves behind some early-season struggles, the unit should be in good shape.
NEXT: Guardians Beat Cardinals Behind Big Offensive Performance
