Young bullpen makes Guardians a championship threat

The Cleveland Guardians enter the stretch run poised to win the American League Central for many reasons.

However, one thing sets the Guardians apart from every other team in the major leagues: The bullpen has been spectacular all season. Cleveland’s relievers' 2.81 ERA is nearly half a run less than the Milwaukee Brewers' 3.25 ERA, which is second in that category.

It helps to have a high-caliber closer in Emmanuel Clase, who has converted 41 of 44 save opportunities with a microscopic 0.70 ERA in 64 games. The 26-year-old has allowed five earned runs all year and has cashed in his last 26 save chances.

The Guardians’ acquisition of Clase is one of the best of president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti’s long tenure. At the Winter Meetings following the 2019 season, the Guardians traded two-time Cy Young winner Cory Kluber to the Texas Rangers for Clase.

Kluber pitched in only one game for the Rangers during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season then left Texas a free agent. He is now retired.

Clase’s tenure with the Guardians got off to an ignominious start. He was suspended for the 2020 season for violating Major League Baseball’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

However, Clase has dominated over the last four seasons, recording 152 saves with a 1.72 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. He was selected to the All-Star Game for a third straight season this year and broke Cody Allen’s franchise record for career saves last Friday.

Clase has been the relief pitching equivalent for first-year Guardians manager Stephen Vogt and why Cleveland holds a 3 ½-game lead over the Minnesota Twins in the American League Central race. The Kansas City Royals are 4 ½ games behind.

“It’s incredible to watch him work, to watch him and go out there and you have the lead in the ninth, you give him the ball and you feel pretty good about it,” Vogt said. “Just the stability that he brings every day and how good our guys have been at getting him the ball every day all year and continue to have that, I definitely don’t take it for granted.”

What makes the Guardians especially intriguing is that Clase is one of just two relievers that casual baseball fans might know. The other is Scott Barlow, who was acquired from the San Diego Padres in an offseason trade and was once the Royals’ closer.

The Guardians’ other five leverage relievers are all homegrown and between the ages of 25 and 28. While they may not be known well beyond the shores of Lake Erie, they have played a big part in the Guardians being in position to win their second division title in three years.

Hunter Gaddis is Clase’s primary set-up man and has a 1.57 ERA in 66 games. He was a fifth-round draft pick in 2019 from Georgia State University.

With the draft limited to five rounds in 2020 because of the pandemic, Cade Smith was passed over that year. The Guardians signed him as a free agent from the University of Hawaii and his ERA is 2.18 in 65 games. Smith has allowed just two of 31 inherited runners to score.

Tim Herrin has become the top lefty in the bullpen with Sam Hentges on the injured list since July 10 with shoulder inflammation. Taken in the 29th round of the 2018 draft from Indiana University, Herrin has a 2.10 ERA in 64 games.

Nick Sandlin (3.67 ERA in 59 games) and Eli Morgan (2.25 ERA in 22 games) provide fine work in middle relief. Sandlin, just the second reliever in franchise history to start a season 7-0, was the Guardians’ second-round pick in 2018 from the University of Southern Mississippi and Morgan was chosen in the eighth round in 2017 from Gonzaga University.

“They’re meticulous with their work and they strive to be perfect,” Vogt said of his bullpen. “That’s what they want and that’s why that group has been so good out there this year. Not only do they have the talent and the stuff, but they have the work ethic to go with it that They’re never satisfied with anything, even when they have good outings, they’re out there the next day working on their craft, working on their mechanics and execution.”

The leader is Clase, who took a few moments to celebrate becoming the Guardians’ all-time saves leader by closing a 10-8 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates before looking at the bigger picture.

“It means a lot. It’s a big personal accomplishment,” Clase said. "I know that things come and go and the goal at the end is to win (the World Series).”

Cleveland hasn’t won the World Series since 1948 for the longest current championship drought in the big leagues. However, the bullpen could allow the Guardians to rewrite history this October.