The Cleveland Guardians played four games against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field this past weekend. Three were walk-off victories for Stephen Vogt’s men, including Sunday’s.
On Sunday, the Guardians had to rely heavily on closer Cade Smith. Gavin Williams gave them a really solid start, and Erik Sabrowski and Hunter Gaddis each took care of one inning in relief.
Smith was called upon with the game tied in the ninth frame. He pitched two perfect innings with nothing but strikeouts, fanning five of the six hitters he faced in an utterly dominant outing.
Smith’s season ERA is now a beautiful 2.25, his record is at 5-1, and he has racked up a career-high 35 saves. He has been everything the Guardians hoped he would be and more.
His teammate, Daniel Schneemann, had nothing but excellent things to say about Smith. Yes, the utility infielder gave Cleveland the win with a walk-off single in the bottom of the tenth, but the closer put him in a position to succeed by completely manhandling the Tigers offense in the ninth and tenth frames. He even navigated through the ghost runner with ease.
“After seeing it for multiple years, it’s no surprise,” Schneemann said of Smith, per MLB.com. “I feel like no one else in the league is surprised either. So it’s really special to watch.”
Schneemann himself hasn’t had the best year so far, with a .206 batting average and a .593 OPS, but he remains a highly versatile player and a fantastic teammate. He didn’t hesitate for a second to share the spotlight with Smith. And he spoke the truth: no one is surprised to see Smith dominating to this extent.
The Guardians remain 2.5 games behind the Chicago White Sox in the fight for the AL Central, but own the third and last Wild Card spot in the American League with a one-game cushion over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Both Schneemann and, particularly, Smith have contributed to the Guardians’ current 73-71 record. The ninth-inning stopper remains one of the finest relievers in baseball, and outings like Sunday’s support that statement.
If Cleveland is going to make a deep run into October, they need a fresh and motivated Smith.
NEXT: Guardians Player Opens Up About Chasing October
