The Cleveland Guardians bullpen has been one of the best kept secrets in the American League over the last several weeks, and Stephen Vogt is no longer keeping quiet about it.
After Wednesday’s sweep-clinching 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, Vogt took a moment to single out the group that has quietly carried this pitching staff through one of the more demanding stretches on the schedule, and his words reflected genuine admiration for what those arms have accomplished.
“I really want to tip my cap to them on this 13-game stretch,” Vogt said.
"I really want to tip my cap to them on this 13 game stretch."#Guardians manager Stephen Vogt has been happy with where Cleveland's bullpen has been lately#GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/of1OBK1uQF
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) May 13, 2026
Cade Smith leads the American League with 13 saves. Colin Holderman has a 1.84 ERA. Erik Sabrowski has been reliable inning after inning. Hunter Gaddis has bounced back from his rocky stretch against the Athletics. Tim Herrin has been a steady presence against left-handed hitters.
The sum of all those parts has produced a bullpen that is functioning at an extremely high level precisely when Cleveland needs it most.
The Guardians have been asking a lot of their relief corps during this stretch. Gavin Williams had his rough outing against the Twins on Sunday that required the bullpen to come in early.
They have answered every single time.
Wednesday against the Angels was the most recent example. Parker Messick gave them 6.2 solid innings before Matt Festa, Erik Sabrowski, and Cade Smith finished the job with four combined outs and three strikeouts.
The larger picture for this Cleveland team is coming into sharper focus as they head into the weekend. At 24-21 and riding six wins in their last eight games, the Guardians are playing their best baseball of the season. The offense still has questions surrounding the Kwan situation and the continued inconsistency with runners in scoring position, but a bullpen that is pitching at this level gives Cleveland a built-in safety net that few teams in the American League can match.
When your closer leads the league in saves and your middle relievers are posting zeroes on a consistent basis, a lot of other problems become easier to manage.
NEXT: Jose Ramirez Is Quietly Chasing Something Historic In 2026
