![\"Aaron](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/T3W3HMLKYNGDFIBQ4APG5XARKU.jpg\")
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<\/p>\nCLEVELAND, Ohio \u2014 Manager Stephen Vogt isn\u2019t ready to say if Cade Smith is going to be the Guardians\u2019 closer in 2026 now that Emmanuel Clase has been indicted in a gambling investigation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t answer that right now,\u201d said Vogt when asked about Smith\u2019s status on Friday. \u201cI don\u2019t know what\u2019s going to happen between now and spring training.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll I know is I\u2019ll 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, logic says that\u2019s the way this will unfold.<\/p>\n
When Clase was removed from the roster on July 28, it was Smith who filled the closer\u2019s role. There were a few bumps along the way, but in Smith\u2019s 30 appearances after Clase was placed on paid leave, the majority of them in the closer\u2019s role, the Guardians went 25-5.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cCade did an outstanding job in the ninth inning this year, as did Hunter Gaddis when he got his opportunity,\u201d said Vogt. \u201cCade Smith is one of our best pitchers. We know that, and he\u2019s capable of doing whatever we ask him to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for Clase, Cleveland\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Career-wise, they face a lifetime ban from baseball. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t really comment on it and we\u2019re going to operate as if those two won\u2019t be joining us,\u201d said Vogt when asked about Clase and Ortiz regarding the 2026 season. \u201cThey weren\u2019t there the last few months (last season) and we operated that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
Counting the postseason, the two relievers have each made 162 appearances over the last two seasons. That\u2019s a considerable amount of wear on two of the Guardians\u2019 best arms.<\/p>\n
While the front office is concentrating on ways to improve the offense, they can\u2019t forget the bullpen.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
In the race for the American League MVP award, Aaron Judge had all the numbers, while Cal Raleigh had the wow factor.<\/p>\n
Judge, when healthy, did what he always does for the Yankees \u2014 he killed it. He won the AL batting title, hitting .331 (129 for 541). Then he added 53 homers and 114 RBI.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The switch-hitting Raleigh became the first catcher in history to hit 60 homers. He was this year\u2019s 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\u2019s a record as well.<\/p>\n
Defensively, he did not have a passed ball in 1,072 innings. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Jose Ramirez of the Guardians finished third on the 10-man ballot.<\/p>\n
Two voters from each AL city voted on the award, based only on the regular season. I had a ballot and here\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Names to rememberFormer Guardian Josh Naylor\u2019s 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\u2019 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\u2019s 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\u2019 bench coach Craig Albernaz, now manager of the Orioles, has a new bench coach in Donnie Ecker. They coached together on the Giants staff.<\/p>\n
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