CLEVELAND -- Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith are typically two relievers finishing games for the Guardians. That was also the case Tuesday, though not in a way we’re too used to seeing.
In a 3-2 win over the Angels at Progressive Field, the Guardians’ bullpen covered five innings behind starter Slade Cecconi. Gaddis was up first, while Smith finished things off by converting his third career four-out save.
All said, Cleveland’s bullpen allowed two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out six batters. It followed Cecconi throwing 89 pitches (59 strikes) over four scoreless innings, in which he allowed five hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.
“The goal [each] day is clear,” said Smith, who also converted a four-out save on May 1 against the A’s and Aug. 30 of last season against the Mariners. “We're down there to try to do what we can to help the team win. If that's holding a lead, stopping the other team's momentum, whatever that it looks like, I know that everybody down there [in the bullpen] is pulling for that same goal.”
The Guardians will wrap up a stretch of 13 consecutive games without an off-day on Wednesday. Given that stretch, they knew they would be light in the bullpen Tuesday, especially if they turned to it early.
Cecconi was solid over four innings, but he threw 26 pitches in both the first and fourth. With his pitch count at 89, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt went to his relief corps.
Gaddis only pitched in the seventh and eighth innings in his first 11 appearances this season. He only pitched in the fifth one prior time since becoming a full-time reliever in 2024 -- on May 31, 2025. With the Guardians leading 1-0, and the top of the Angels’ lineup due up, Vogt called upon his setup man for the key spot.
The Guardians used a similar blueprint later. Erik Sabrowski pitched the seventh, when the top of the Angels’ order was again coming up. Meanwhile, Tim Herrin (sixth) and rookie Franco Aleman (eighth) entered to face the middle-to-bottom of the order.
“We put guys in positions to succeed,” Vogt said. “We wanted Gaddy and Erik to go through the top of the order, and we wanted Franco and Tim to go through the bottom, regardless of inning, regardless of when it is. … We had to go to the bullpen a little earlier than we wanted to, but those guys got in the spots we wanted them.”
Gaddis logged a 7.88 ERA in eight innings over his first 11 appearances, but has a track record as one of the best setup men in the Majors the past two seasons. He worked around a one-out double by Mike Trout to toss a scoreless fifth, then retired Vaughn Grissom on a bunt groundout to open the sixth.
Herrin replaced Gaddis and allowed one run over two-thirds of an inning, albeit with some tough luck. Oswald Peraza tripled on a ground ball just inside the first-base line, then scored on a Jo Adell sacrifice fly.
Sabrowski took over in the seventh, when leadoff man Zach Neto was due up second. Sabrowski worked around two walks and struck out three to work a scoreless inning. He now has a 1.96 ERA with 32 strikeouts and nine walks in 18 1/3 innings over 21 appearances this season.
Franco Aleman took over in the eighth for his second career MLB appearance and allowed a leadoff homer to Grissom. Knowing the bullpen was a bit light, Smith made the assumption he could be needed for four outs. He took over after Aleman walked Josh Lowe with two outs.
The main difference, Smith noted, with a four-out save was the opportunity to sit down with catcher Austin Hedges before the ninth inning to strategize, compared to when he typically takes the mound straight out of the bullpen.
“That opportunity to make sure you're on the same page, it’s a pretty special thing,” said Smith, who has not allowed a run in seven of his past eight appearances.
Smith struck out Sebastián Rivero to end the eighth. He got Neto and Trout to fly out to open the ninth -- the latter to right fielder Angel Martínez just in front of the warning track -- before he struck out Nolan Schanuel to secure the save.
“I have a lot of respect and admiration for the player that he is,” Smith said of Trout. “It scared me a little bit when I saw that ball off the bat for sure, but grateful it stayed in the park and got the job done.”