Monday night’s win meant more for the Cleveland Guardians.
That’s not only because of their postseason aspirations, but also for the way it came.
Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith were on the mound in the eighth and ninth innings, and manager Stephen Vogt turned to Nic Enright to close the game in the 10th.
As pointed out by Al Pawlowski on X, Enright earned his first MLB save.
Nic Enright picked up his first ML save tonight in his first opportunity.
Last 6 appearances: 6.2ip, 2 H, 0 ER.
— Al Pawlowski (@AlPawlowski) August 5, 2025
The rookie allowed one unearned run but was able to secure the triumph
He’s allowed two hits and no earned runs in 6.2 innings in his past six appearances.
This was an emotional moment for Enright and everybody in the dugout.
He was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2022, and he’s still undergoing treatment.
The Guardians took him in the 20th round of the 2019 MLB Draft, and he was diagnosed shortly after the Miami Marlins took him in the Rule 5 draft.
He had multiple rounds of immunotherapy in 2023, and he made several minor league rehab appearances before ultimately being designated for assignment.
The Guardians brought him back, and he had a 1.06 ERA in 16 appearances at Triple-A last season.
This season, he has a 2.01 ERA in 19 appearances for the Guardians since making his major league debut in May.
With Emmanuel Clase potentially out for the season because of his alleged involvement in a betting scheme, Enright will be a crucial contributor out of the bullpen.
Hopefully, this will be just the first of many more saves and career accolades for Enright, who still has to have another round of immunotherapy later this year.
NEXT: Guardians Snap Notable Win Drought Since 2004
