The Cleveland Guardians have built their identity in recent years on elite pitching depth boasting a bullpen that could slam the door on opponents and shorten games. However, early in the 2026 season, that formula is showing cracks and in some games, completely unraveling.
The latest example came in a stunning collapse against the Baltimore Orioles, where Cleveland watched a comfortable four-run lead evaporate in a single inning. After six scoreless frames from the starter Tanner Bibee and a grand slam by Daniel Schneemann that seemed to put the game out of reach, the bullpen imploded in the eighth. The trio of Shawn Armstrong, Erik Sabrowski and Connor Brogdon struggled, issuing multiple walks, hitting a batter, and ultimately surrendering a decisive three-run homer.
It wasn’t just a bad inning…it was a snapshot of a growing problem.
A Unit Trending the Wrong Way
On the surface, Cleveland’s bullpen numbers don’t look disastrous. The group sits around the middle of the league in ERA and overall production. But recent performances tell a different story. Over the past week alone, the bullpen has posted an ERA north of 5.50, a sharp spike that reflects mounting inconsistency.
More concerning than the numbers is how those struggles are unfolding: missed locations, free passes, and an inability to put hitters away. In the Orioles loss, Cleveland relievers allowed six runs on just two hits, issuing three walks and hitting a batter in the process.
That kind of outing points less to bad luck and more to a breakdown in command and composure.
The Closer Conundrum
Much of the spotlight has fallen on closer Cade Smith, who entered the season with lofty expectations. Tasked with replacing suspended star Emmanuel Clase, Smith has struggled to find consistency.
Through his first handful of appearances, he has blown two saves and carries a 4.50 ERA. However, Smith has converted four save opportunities and holds two wins over ten innings of work. The root issue appears to be command particularly with his splitter, a pitch that has become unreliable and often noncompetitive.
Without that key weapon, hitters have been able to sit on his fastball, neutralizing what was supposed to be a dominant late-inning presence. Smith’s fastball is his best weapon and if he is able to get ahead of hitters things will turn around. My faith in Smith in the closer role is still steadfast.
Depth Being Tested Early
The Guardians anticipated needing bullpen depth in 2026, but perhaps not this soon. Injuries and offseason turnover have already forced the team to rely on a mix of unproven arms and reshuffled roles. However, as it is early in the season the pen is being relied on heavily to allow the starters to settle in. We should see a change in the deep reliance as the season progresses.
Relievers like Armstrong, Sabrowski, and Brogdon have all been thrust into high-leverage situations and, at times, overwhelmed. The eighth inning against Baltimore illustrated the domino effect: one reliever loses the zone, the next inherits traffic, and suddenly the entire game spirals.
A Shift From Strength to Question Mark
For years, Cleveland’s blueprint was simple: get six innings from the starter, then hand the ball to a lockdown bullpen. It’s a strategy that helped define the franchise’s success.
Right now, that blueprint is unreliable.
The Guardians still sit above .500 and remain firmly in the AL Central race, but their margin for error is shrinking. When late leads feel unsafe, it changes everything from managerial decisions to clubhouse confidence.
What Comes Next
There’s reason to believe some of this is temporary. Command issues can be corrected, roles can stabilize, and key arms may rebound as the season progresses. Also let’s not forget that Cleveland has one of the most elite pitching staffs led by Carl Willis. There’s strong confidence that Willis and team can right the ship
But if the bullpen can’t rediscover its identity, the Guardians risk turning one of their greatest strengths into a season-defining weakness and in a tightly contested division, that could be the difference between October baseball and an early offseason.
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