On Tuesday, Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith blew his second save of the season after allowing an unearned run in the ninth inning, in a game that his team ended up losing in extras. His 5.00 ERA for the year is proof that, while he remains one of the best at what he does, he is not in his finest stretch as a major leaguer.
Smith, of course, has shown just how dominant he can be in 2024, when he posted a phenomenal 1.91 ERA and struck out 103 batters, and last year, when his ERA was a rock-solid 2.93 with 104 punchouts. He became the unquestioned closer of this team in 2025, and despite his current struggles, he still is.
Some fans and members of the media, however, can’t help but be worried about Smith’s current inability to show his best version.
Guardians legend Carlos Baerga conceded that the Guardians were playing an underrated Cardinals team, but pointed out the need for Smith to be sharper.
“They have a guy like Jordan (Walker), the guy hit eight homers. They got, you know, (Alec) Burleson. He almost hit .300 last year. So they have a lot of young talent. They’re going to be really good. But the guy that I’m worried about a little bit is Cade Smith. We need him to be more sharp,” Baerga said.
Are you worried about Cade Smith? #GuardsBall
"We need him to be more sharp."
– @baergacarlos pic.twitter.com/RMyYTvBE5w
— The Daily Guards (@DailyGuards) April 15, 2026
Smith’s fastball has averaged 96.5 mph so far in 2026, basically the same as last year. Velocity is not the problem, so it is most likely a command issue.
If that’s the case, one has to think Smith will eventually hit his stride. Baseball is not a perfect science, so even the best players struggle from time to time. In this specific case, the player in question has not just a few weeks, but two full seasons’ worth of elite performance, so it’s fair to suggest he will turn things around.
Smith, like every star-level player in baseball, deserves the benefit of the doubt. He has been so good for so long that it isn’t highly unlikely he just ‘lost it’, especially when his velocity has been on par with previous seasons.
Yes, he has been mediocre to this point. It won’t last if he’s not injured, though, and there haven’t been any signs that he is.
NEXT: Guardians Prospect Is Cooling Off After Hot Start
