The Cleveland Guardians entered the 2025 MLB season with a big distinction: They had the best bullpen in all of baseball.
Unfortunately, it didn’t always look that way to begin the campaign, at least for some of their former stars.
Even superstar closer Emmanuel Clase struggled to be his dominant self out of the gate, but he’s finally working his way back to dominance.
Nevertheless, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com believes that Stephen Vogt’s team has had an unsung hero and one of the most overlooked pitchers in the league.
In his latest column, he gushed about Hunter Gaddis’ impact and dominance out of the bullpen for this team:
“Hunter Gaddis, the big guy with the beard, sometimes gets overlooked in the bullpen. Gaddis earned his 10th hold on Sunday after pitching out of a jam in the eighth inning. He’s tied for second in the AL in holds and has allowed just one run in 15 appearances this year. Last year he finished tied for second in the AL with 78 appearances, not including the postseason,” Hoynes wrote.
Truth be told, he’s perfectly right about his assessment.
Gaddis currently boasts a 0.68 ERA, a 1.275 WHIP, and averages 14.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
He’s been absolutely dominant when it matters the most, constantly putting out fires when whoever’s on the mound gets neck deep and the team is in desperate need of some momentum.
He’s allowed just one run this season, which is by far the fewest among the seven most frequently-used relievers.
The Guardians won’t wow anybody with their power or rake their way to the playoffs.
They won’t put up seven runs a game on a daily basis.
Their best shot at contention comes from pitching and defense.
Hopefully, the rest of the bullpen will follow Gaddis’ lead.
It’s still early in the season, but the team has shown glimpses of the same form that helped them reach the ALCS last year.
NEXT: Former Player Shuts Down Big Concern About Guardians' Record
