The Cleveland Guardians are now 50-26 after beating the Baltimore Orioles on Monday.
They have won six games in a row and look like one of the very best teams in baseball.
The offense is very solid, but not exactly “explosive”.
The rotation is actually mediocre according to the numbers.
What is, then, the unit that has been carrying the team to an eight-game lead in the AL Central?
The answer is: the bullpen.
There is no other way around it: Guardians relievers have been the heart and soul of this squad.
The numbers don’t lie.
Closer Emmanuel Clase was unavailable on Monday, but that didn’t stop other top relievers from securing an important victory.
“The best in the business! Even without Emmanuel Clase and Cade Smith Monday, the @CleGuardians‘ bullpen held the Orioles scoreless and continued what has been a remarkable season for the relievers,” Bally Sports Cleveland tweeted, with a graph that shows complete and utter dominance.
The best in the business!
Even without Emmanuel Clase and Cade Smith Monday, the @CleGuardians' bullpen held the Orioles scoreless and continued what has been a remarkable season for the relievers.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/kAsk0T3MSW
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) June 25, 2024
First, let’s discuss Monday’s heroics.
Tanner Bibee gave the Guards six solid innings in which he conceded two runs, one of which was earned.
The O’s have an elite offense, probably the best and deepest in the American League so holding them scoreless was a tough task for any bullpen.
Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis and Scott Barlow, however, each tossed a scoreless inning to preserve the narrow lead and win the game.
For the season as a whole, Cleveland’s bullpen leads MLB in important pitching stats such as ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts.
The unit also has the highest percentage of inherited runners stranded, so they are used to cleaning up messes.
It’s crucial for Cleveland to add to their rotation ahead of the deadline, but their excellent relief corps keep them extremely competitive in close games.
NEXT: Guardians Insider Reveals Promising Stat As Team Reaches 50 Wins
