It’s not uncommon for players to praise their MLB teammates. Actually, it’s a common occurrence.
After Cleveland Guardians starter Slade Cecconi allowed three runs in 4.1 innings on Friday, the bullpen combined to throw 4.2 frames against the Boston Red Sox to shut down their offense and secure a narrow 4-3 win.
It was an amazing showing by one of the most in-form bullpens in the game at the moment, so Cecconi didn’t miss the chance to praise the unit in a postgame interview. What he said, however, left more than a few fans with their eyebrows raised.
“We have the best bullpen in the league, and anytime that they come into the game with a lead, you feel like you’re going to win the ballgame,” Cecconi said, per Mason Horodyski of News 5 Cleveland.
"We have the best bullpen in the league, and anytime that they come into the game with a lead, you feel like you're going to win the ball game"#Guardians Slade Cecconi with high praise for Cleveland's relievers Friday #GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/5a2mCbaLWW
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) May 30, 2026
Is Cecconi right? Do the Guardians have the best bullpen in the league? Maybe not quite. But he’s not far from the truth.
If we consider the entire 2026 campaign to this point, the Guardians’ bullpen ranks 12th in baseball with a 3.51 ERA. That’s not bad, but not particularly close to the best squads.
However, if we only consider the month of May, when Cleveland has really hit its stride, it ranks sixth in the game with a 2.58 ERA. The Guardians are also second in fWAR this month, at 1.9. Only the San Diego Padres’ 2.2 mark is better.
On Friday, it was Colin Holderman, Tim Herrin, Shawn Armstrong, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith dominating the Red Sox on their way to a win. Smith became the first reliever to reach 20 saves this season.
This unit also has Matt Festa, Will Dion and Codi Heuer available at the moment, and there’s more talent in Triple-A. To really mount a World Series run, you could argue that the Guardians need at least one more dominant reliever via trade, but the existing crew is certainly nothing to sneeze at.
So, while Cecconi’s quote might be typical enthusiastic praise between teammates, it’s certainly not a crazy thought. There’s some foundation to it.
NEXT: Guardians Among Biggest Surprises In Early Playoff Picture
