CLEVELAND, Ohio — Manager Stephen Vogt isn’t ready to say if Cade Smith is going to be the Guardians’ closer in 2026 now that Emmanuel Clase has been indicted in a gambling investigation.
“I can’t answer that right now,” said Vogt when asked about Smith’s status on Friday. “I don’t know what’s going to happen between now and spring training.
“All I know is I’ll trust Cade Smith to take a baseball in his hand and go out on that mound and get three outs whenever we need him to.”
Still, logic says that’s the way this will unfold.
When Clase was removed from the roster on July 28, it was Smith who filled the closer’s role. There were a few bumps along the way, but in Smith’s 30 appearances after Clase was placed on paid leave, the majority of them in the closer’s role, the Guardians went 25-5.
In those 30 games, Smith went 6-2 with a 2.79 ERA and 13 saves in 17 chances. He struck out 39 and walked two in 29 innings.
The longer he pitched in the role, the better he became. In his final 15 games of the regular season, the Guardians went 14-1, while Smith went 2-1 with eight saves in nine chances. He posted a 2.51 ERA (four earned runs in 14 1/3 innings pitched), while striking out 25 and not walking a batter.
“Cade did an outstanding job in the ninth inning this year, as did Hunter Gaddis when he got his opportunity,” said Vogt. “Cade Smith is one of our best pitchers. We know that, and he’s capable of doing whatever we ask him to do.”
As for Clase, Cleveland’s franchise leader in saves and the most dominant closer in baseball from 2022 through 2024, he is on the restricted list with teammate Luis Ortiz, indicted in the same gambling scheme. Late last week they pleaded not guilty in a federal court in Brooklyn, N.Y. as they face charges that could put them in prison for 65 years.
Career-wise, they face a lifetime ban from baseball.
“We can’t really comment on it and we’re going to operate as if those two won’t be joining us,” said Vogt when asked about Clase and Ortiz regarding the 2026 season. “They weren’t there the last few months (last season) and we operated that way.”
The Guardians, one way or the other, are going to need help in the pen. Smith and Gaddis have been pushed hard the last two seasons.
Counting the postseason, the two relievers have each made 162 appearances over the last two seasons. That’s a considerable amount of wear on two of the Guardians’ best arms.
While the front office is concentrating on ways to improve the offense, they can’t forget the bullpen.
Aaron Judge (left) won the AL MVP award over Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh in a close vote by the BBWAA.Getty ImagesAaron Judge vs. Cal Raleigh
In the race for the American League MVP award, Aaron Judge had all the numbers, while Cal Raleigh had the wow factor.
Judge, when healthy, did what he always does for the Yankees — he killed it. He won the AL batting title, hitting .331 (129 for 541). Then he added 53 homers and 114 RBI.
He led the big leagues in OPS (1.144), total bases (372) and WAR 9.7 (per Baseball Reference). For some icing on the cake, Judge led the AL with 137 runs and 124 walks.
The switch-hitting Raleigh became the first catcher in history to hit 60 homers. He was this year’s supernova, doing something that may never be done again. Raleigh hit 49 of his 60 homers while working behind the plate in 120 of his 159 games. That’s a record as well.
Defensively, he did not have a passed ball in 1,072 innings.
The MVP voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America favored Judge over Raleigh, 355 points to 335. Judge received 17 first place votes and 13 second place votes. Raleigh finished with 13 first place votes and 17 second place votes.
Jose Ramirez of the Guardians finished third on the 10-man ballot.
Two voters from each AL city voted on the award, based only on the regular season. I had a ballot and here’s how I voted: 1. Raleigh, 2. Judge, 3. Ramirez, 4. Bobby Witt Jr., 5. Nick Kurtz, 6. Julio Rodriguez. 7. Cody Bellinger, 8. Bo Bichette, 9. Riley Greene and 10. Junior Caminero.
Names to rememberFormer Guardian Josh Naylor’s worth on the open market this winter is estimated to be between $52 million and $60 million over three years.Toronto has outrighted former Guardians’ right-hander Nick Sandlin off the 40-man roster. He can go to Triple-A Buffalo or become a free agent.Catcher Francisco Mejia, who collected his first big league hit with Cleveland in 2017, is a minor league free agent after playing Triple-A ball with the Nationals in 2025.Catcher Eric Haase, Cleveland’s seventh round pick in 2011, is a free agent after playing 30 games with the Brewers in 2025.RHP Ian Gilbert, who pitched one game for Cleveland in 2022, was outrighted to Class AAA Louisville by the Reds.Former Guardians’ bench coach Craig Albernaz, now manager of the Orioles, has a new bench coach in Donnie Ecker. They coached together on the Giants staff.
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