The Cleveland Guardians bullpen had a difficult Sunday afternoon. Stephen Vogt wants to make sure nobody overreacts to it.
The Cleveland manager addressed the media after the 9-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox, a game in which a six run seventh inning unraveled what had been a competitive and well-pitched afternoon by Tanner Bibee. The bullpen, which entered the weekend as one of the best relief units in baseball since mid-April, took its second consecutive beating in the series and the questions about whether the workload of protecting slim leads all month long was finally catching up to the group were legitimate ones to ask.
“Today just got away from us. The bullpen has been outstanding. We’re not going to let 1 inning sway how we feel about the way the bullpen has been throwing,” Vogt said.
"Today just got away from us."
Stephen Vogt on today's loss and a #Guardians bullpen that has been running hot:
"The bullpen has been outstanding. We're not going to let 1 inning sway how we feel about the way the bullpen has been throwing."#GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/9F5c4TbCqI
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) May 31, 2026
The numbers behind Vogt’s confidence are not hard to find. Look no further than Colin Holderman, who has been one of the most reliable arms in the Cleveland bullpen all season long. The 30-year-old right-hander from Bourbonnais, Illinois carries a 2.14 ERA through 17 appearances and 21 innings in 2026, with a razor thin 0.810 WHIP and 23 strikeouts. He is 3-1 on the year and has been one of the primary reasons this bullpen has been as good as it has been. Sunday was his worst outing of the season, as he allowed 2 earned runs in just 1 inning against Boston before being pulled, but one difficult appearance against the backdrop of a dominant body of work does not change who Holderman is as a pitcher.
Beyond Holderman, the broader bullpen picture remains strong. Cade Smith leads all of baseball with 20 saves. Hunter Gaddis has strung together six straight scoreless outings. The group carried a 2.14 ERA entering the series finale, a mark that ranked among the best relief units in the American League over that stretch.
The off day comes at the right time for arms that have been carrying a heavy workload throughout May. Rest, reset, and return to what this group has been doing at an elite level for the better part of six weeks.
NEXT: Tanner Bibee Gets Honest About His Winless Record This Season
