The Cleveland Guardians have the best bullpen in baseball, and nothing is going to change what we saw over 162 games.
The unit, however, is starting to struggle in the postseason, with some key relievers allowing runs in crucial situations.
MLB insider Mike Petriello, however, implies that some of the struggles shown by Emmanuel Clase, Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, and other top relievers might have to do with the fact the unit as a whole has been overused.
One of the direct reasons of that is starters not being able to provide length.
“Are the relievers overworked, yes, but also, I’m sure Vogt would have loved to get length out of Williams yesterday, except if he’d left him in to allow lasers it’d have been a 10-run deficit. No one wants to use the pen as much as he has. But it’s the team’s only real strength,” Petriello posted on X.
Are the relievers overworked, yes
but also, I'm sure Vogt would have loved to get length out of Williams yesterday, except if he'd left him in to allow lasers it'd have been a 10-run deficit
no one wants to use the pen as much as he has. But it's the team's only real strength. pic.twitter.com/bX9MO9D9k9
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) October 19, 2024
Gavin Williams started Game 4 for Cleveland on Friday, but couldn’t get out of the third inning and conceded three runs and two homers.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt had no choice but to take him out.
In more than occasion, Vogt has been to blame for an exceptionally quick hook on his starters, but Friday wasn’t the case.
In any case, Cleveland needs more from their starters to avoid using their bullpen so much.
The more the Yankees see the bullpen, the more adjustments they will make no matter how good it is.
Starting pitching has to be an organizational priority when the World Series is over, no matter how far Cleveland makes it.
NEXT: Emmanuel Clase Opens Up About His Postseason Struggles
