The best bullpen in baseball just got even better on Wednesday.
That’s right: the Cleveland Guardians announced that they are in agreement on a one-year deal worth $7 million with Paul Sewald.
“Right-handed reliever Paul Sewald and the Cleveland Guardians are in agreement on a one-year, $7 million contract, sources tell ESPN. The deal includes a mutual option for the 2026 season,” MLB insider Jeff Passan posted on X.
Right-handed reliever Paul Sewald and the Cleveland Guardians are in agreement on a one-year, $7 million contract, sources tell ESPN. The deal includes a mutual option for the 2026 season.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 22, 2025
As Passan indicates, there is also a mutual option for 2026.
Sewald might be 34, but he still had a respectable year in 2024 as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 4.31 ERA and 26.1 percent strikeout rate in 39.2 innings.
The year before, however, he was part of an amazing late-inning crew with the Snakes that made it all the way to the World Series, losing it in 2023.
Sewald has had a sneaky productive career with a 4.09 ERA and peaked in the 2021-23 period, when he posted ERAs of 3.06, 2.67, and 3.12, respectively.
The right-hander will be joining a crowded bullpen and will split late-inning duties with Andrew Walters, Erik Sabrowski, Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, Tim Herrin, and others; all setting up for closer Emmanuel Clase.
Sewald has had his postseason (and regular season) highs and lows, and that experience comes in handy for a young staff.
It also helps that he is not a triple-digit guy, and his pitching profile gives opposing lineups a different look than what they are used to seeing from Cleveland.
For the price, Sewald is a nice acquisition for a Guardians team that is determined to make 2025 their year.
We will see if they have more moves in them for when the market keeps dropping on certain positions.
NEXT: Report: Guardians Impressed With Free Agent Pitcher's Workout
