Cade Smith of the Cleveland Guardians named the American League Reliever of the Month for September; Mason Montgomery of the Pittsburgh Pirates named the National League Reliever of the Month for September

All-Star closer Cade Smith of the Cleveland Guardians has been voted the American League Reliever of the Month for September and relief pitcher Mason Montgomery of the Pittsburgh Pirates has been named the National League Reliever of the Month for September. The announcements were made earlier today on MLB Network.

Smith earned his second award this season and third overall after previously winning in September 2025 and May of this year. Smith has now garnered each of the Guardians’ last three awards and is one of three Guardians relievers to win the award, joining Cody Allen (April 2017) and Emmanuel Clase (7x: August 2021, June 2022, August 2022, September/October 2022, May 2024, July 2024 & September 2024). Smith became the 19th reliever to earn the award on three-or-more occassions and joined Mason Miller (3x: March/April, May & July) as the only relievers to earn the award on multiple occassions this season. Montgomery earned his first career award and the first for a Pirates reliever since David Bednar won in June 2025. Montgomery became the sixth Pirates relief pitcher to win the award, joining José Mesa (April 2005); Joel Hanrahan (June 2011); Jason Grilli (2x: April & May 2013); and Bednar (2x: May 2022 & June 2025).

Cade Smith, Cleveland Guardians
The 27-year-old pitched to a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/13.0 IP) while converting all six of his save opportunities across 11 appearances in which he allowed three hits with two walks, 21 strikeouts, a 0.38 WHIP, a .073 opponents’ average and 14.54 strikeouts per nine innings.

The Abbotsford, BC, Canada native’s 47.7 strikeout percentage and 43.2 strikeout-to-walk percentage led all qualified relievers while his ERA tied for first; saves tied for second; strikeouts ranked third and opponents’ average ranked fourth.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa product picked up his 40th save of the season on September 22nd against the Red Sox, becoming the seventh reliever in Guardians franchise history to reach the mark, joining Doug Jones
(1990); José Mesa (1995); Mike Jackson (1998); Bob Wickman (2005); Joe Borowski (2007); and Emmanuel Clase (3x: 2022-24).

The 2026 All-Star picked up his 41st save of the season on September 24th, finishing the season tied with Tampa Bay’s Bryan Baker for the most saves. Smith became the first Guardians relief pitcher to collect 40-or-more saves and 100-or-more strikeouts in a season and the first in MLB to do so since Kirby Yates accomplished the feat with the Padres in 2019.

The 16th round selection in the 2017 Draft (by MIN) earned six saves and three wins in a month for the second time in his career after previously accomplishing the feat in August 2025. Smith is one of two Guardians relievers to reach the marks in a month along with Ted Abernathy who did so in 1963, and is the only reliever in franchise history to do so on multiple occasions. Smith became just the 10th pitcher in MLB history to reach the marks while not allowing an earned run through the month.

Mason Montgomery, Pittsburgh Pirates (@mason_monty1)
The 26-year-old pitched to a 2.08 ERA (1 ER/13.0 IP) while converting 11 of his 12 save opportunities across 13 appearances in which he allowed eight hits with four walks, 16 strikeouts, a 0.92 WHIP, a .174 opponents’ average and 11.08 strikeouts per nine innings.

The Austin, Texas native paced all qualified relievers in saves; and tied for sixth in strikeouts.

The sixth-round selection in the 2021 Draft (by TB) became the fourth Pirates pitcher in the Modern Era (since 1901) with at least 65 appearances and 100 strikeouts in a season, joining Hall of Famer Rich “Goose” Gossage (1977); Enrique Romo (1979); and Joel Hanrahan (2010). Along with bullpenmate Yohan Ramírez who also accomplished the feat this season, the Pirates became the sixth team in the Modern Era with two pitchers who made 65 appearances-or-more and recorded at least 100 strikeouts.

The Texas Tech University product amassed 24.2 consecutive scoreless innings from July 27-September 24th, the longest such streak of his career and the longest by any Pirates pitcher this season. Montgomery allowed just nine hits and issued seven walks with 37 strikeouts during the streak.

The southpaw picked up 11 of his 18 saves in the month and collected a save in 10 consecutive outings from September 3-24th, joining fellow Reliever of the Month Cade Smith as the only pitchers to record a save in 10-or-more consecutive outings this season. Montgomery recorded saves in back-to-back contests on September 9-10th and again on September 19-20th, marking the first such occurrences in his career.

Others receiving votes for AL Reliever of the Month included Kenley Jansen (0-1, 0.00 ERA, 10 G, 5-for-6 SV, 9.1 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 10 SO) and Jacob Waguespack (1-0, 2.45 ERA, 10 G, 0-for-1 SV, 14.2 IP, 8 H, 7 BB, 16 SO) of the Detroit Tigers; Smith’s Guardians teammate Joey Cantillo(2-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 G, 15.0 IP, 4 H, 4 BB, 17 SO); and Hogan Harris (1-0, 2.25 ERA, 12 G, 4-for-5 SV, 12.0 IP, 8 H, 5 BB, 11 SO) of the Athletics.

Others receiving votes for NL Reliever of the Month included Tejay Antone (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 12 G, 10.1 IP, 5 H, 4 BB, 14 SO) and Emilio Pagán (0-0, 0.96 ERA, 10 G, 6-for-6 SV, 9.1 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 11 SO) of the Cincinnati Reds; Didier Fuentes (2-1, 2.77 ERA, 9 G, 13.0 IP, 11 H, 2 BB, 15 SO) and All-Star Raisel Iglesias (0-0, 1.00 ERA, 9 G, 5-for-5 SV, 9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 12 SO) of the third-seeded NL East Champion Atlanta Braves; DL Hall (2-0, 0.59 ERA, 11 G, 15.1 IP, 8 H, 7 BB, 14 SO) and Abner Uribe (2-1, 1.64 ERA, 12 G, 11.0 IP, 10 H, 1 BB, 14 SO) of the first-seeded NL Central Champion Milwaukee Brewers; Trent Harris (0-1, 0.73 ERA, 13 G, 2-for-2 SV, 12.1 IP, 11 H, 2 BB, 12 SO) of the San Francisco Giants; Justin Martinez (2-1, 2.79 ERA, 11 G, 9.2 IP, 4 H, 7 BB, 14 SO) of the Arizona Diamondbacks; and Yuki Matsui (2-0, 0.84 ERA, 12 G, 1-for-1 SV, 10.2 IP, 7 H, 5 BB, 10 SO) and Bradgley Rodriguez (1-0, 2.77 ERA, 11 G, 13.0 IP, 10 H, 2 BB, 16 SO) of the fourth-seeded San Diego Padres.