Now that the Cleveland Guardians are back in the playoffs for a third straight year and have a few days off before starting the ALDS, it is a good time to look back at how they got there. Diehard fans know the key players in that effort, but newcomers may not be aware of the important lesser-known contributors.
It takes the full 26-man roster, and then some, to maintain the kind of success the Guardians have had lately. With a third straight AL Central title under their belts, several players have emerged each year along the way.
One of them is Guardians reliever Erik Sabrowski, who deserves more recognition after a strong season as one of Cleveland’s most-used pitchers.
“One player from every AL division winner that deserves more recognition: Guardians – LHP Erik Sabrowski,” MLB posted.
One player from every AL division winner that deserves more recognition:
Rays – OF Victor Mesa Jr.
Guardians – LHP Erik Sabrowski
Astros – LHP Steven Okert pic.twitter.com/F7E3n5L7xk— MLB (@MLB) September 29, 2026
Sabrowski was named along with outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. of the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays and reliever Steven Okert of the AL West-winning Houston Astros. The Guardians could wind up facing the Astros in the second round if Houston emerges from its AL Wild Card series against the Chicago White Sox.
Sabrowski appeared in 60 games for the Guardians this season, which ranked fifth on the team. It likely would have been more had he not been on the injured list with elbow inflammation from late May until mid June. The left-hander struck out 76 batters in 48.1 innings and posted a 2.61 ERA.
He combined with reliever Tim Herrin to complement right-handers Hunter Gaddis and Matt Festa as the bridge to closer Cade Smith. As a group, the Guardians bullpen ranked sixth in the majors with a 3.54 ERA and was ninth with a 1.25 WHIP.
Sabrowski worked his way into a bigger role in his third MLB season, after he was a Rule 5 Draft pick by Cleveland from the San Diego Padres in 2024. Coming back from two Tommy John surgeries, he made his debut that year and then appeared in 33 games during the 2025 campaign.
He has made eight appearances over the past two postseasons, and there are hopefully many more in store this year as the Guardians look to get back to the World Series for the first time since 2016.
NEXT: One Stat Proves The Guardians Are The Class Of The AL Central
