The Cleveland Guardians’ run to the ALCS this past season was unexpected for many, given the lineup’s and starting rotation’s lack of star power.
However, the team’s bread and butter was its historically dominant bullpen, which was so good that it was able to mask some of the team’s other inefficiencies.
Even though the bullpen seemed to run out of gas in the postseason, it cannot be overstated how dominant this unit was all season.
A few recent stats shared by MLB Network remind us just how good the Guardians’ bullpen was in 2024.
MLB Network shared on X that Cleveland led the American League with 53 saves, a 2.57 bullpen ERA, and 42 comeback wins, all of which are testaments to how good this team was at pulling out close victories.
.@CleGuardians ranks this season among AL teams:
53 Saves – 1st
2.57 Bullpen ERA – 1st
42 Comeback Wins – 1st pic.twitter.com/RSykbkBdrU— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 15, 2024
The Guardians benefit from having a young and promising bullpen.
The core of this group includes closer Emmanuel Clase, along with Nick Sandlin, Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis, and Cade Smith.
All of these pitchers are under the age of 28 and are expected to secure the final innings of games for the team for many years to come.
If this team can beef up the starting rotation this offseason to take a little pressure off the bullpen, there’s no telling how good this pitching staff can be next year.
It’s incredible that the Guardians even made it as far as they did, considering they struggled to get even four innings out of any of their starters in the playoffs.
Alex Cobb, Shane Bieber, and Carlos Carrasco are all hitting free agency, so there is plenty of room to bring in a front-line starter or two if the front office wants to be aggressive.
NEXT: Guardians Dynamic Prospect Stays Active During The Offseason
