The Cleveland Guardians needed a hero for their bullpen.
Fortunately for them, Cade Smith was ready to take the mound.
He’s been spectacular for the team since they lost Emmanuel Clase to a sports gambling investigation.
That was the case again on Saturday when the Tribe needed him to hold onto a 3-1 lead over the Chicago White Sox.
Smith responded with a scoreless ninth inning to secure his 14th save of the season.
He struck out the first two hitters he faced before recording the final out of the game on a flyout to center field.
As pointed out by Guardian Prospective on X, Smith has been on a roll lately.
Cleveland #Guardians closer Cade Smith picked up his 14th save of the season tonight striking out a pair of White Sox batters setting down the side in order.
Line – 1.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO
(17 Pitches 10 Strikes)
Smith has been dominant over his last six appearances going… pic.twitter.com/0em2NmXyom
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) September 14, 2025
He tossed 10 strikes on 17 pitches, and he’s gone five-for-five in his last six save opportunities.
During the stretch, he’s thrown six scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts and just one hit.
The Guardians lost one of their most important players.
Most experts and fans agreed that Emmanuel Clase was either the best or one of the best closers in all of baseball.
Losing a player of his caliber could’ve derailed their season, especially given that they didn’t have much margin for error at this point in the season.
That only makes Smith’s performances all the more impressive.
He always showed that he was a reliable and consistent hurler, but it takes a lot of mental strength to take care of business in high-stakes situations.
He’s proved that he was up to the task, and with Clase’s future looking bleak, he might be the team’s closer for years to come.
NEXT: Stephen Vogt Raves About 2 Guardians Rookies
