25 articles
CLE • Pitcher • #36
about 2 months ago
Smith came in with two on and one out in a tie game in the eighth. After he got a groundout, the final out of the frame came on a caught stealing at home after Michael Helman took off from first, turned around when it looked like he’d be thrown out and Dylan Moore was retired at the plate. Smith then pitched a perfect ninth, and he picked up his eighth win when the Guardians scored in the bottom of the frame. Smith only threw 16 pitches tonight, so he still should be in the mix with the division title on the line Sunday.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
about 2 months ago
Smith wasn’t messing around in this one, striking out Riley Greene and Dillon Dingler to start the inning before retiring Zach McKinstry on a liner to third to end it. He has been a major weapon out of the Guardians’ bullpen this season, posting a 3.01 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and a 103/19 K/BB ratio over 71 2/3 innings while securing 16 saves and seven victories.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
2 months ago
Smith came on with a one-run lead to protect in the ninth inning. He got Parker Meadows on a ground out to first and Zach McKinstry on a swinging third strike to open the inning. He then fell behind Carpenter 2-1 before serving up the game-tying blast to center field. Smith rallied to strike out Gleyber Torres to end the inning and then became the beneficiary as the Guardians scored four times in the top half of the 10th inning. For the season, he boasts a 3.15 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and a 98/19K/BB ratio over 68 2/3 innings on the season while converting 15 of his first 21 save chances.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
2 months ago
Smith worked around a pair of singles in the inning. It’s his sixth straight appearance in which he’s fanned at least two in his inning. He’s faced 22 batters in that span and struck out 13 of them.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
2 months ago
Smith came on after the Guardians scored twice in the home half of the eighth inning to take a one-run lead. The 26-year-old right-hander made things interesting by plunking Jonathan India to start the inning, but he battled back to get Kyle Isbel and Nick Loftin on strikes before retiring Mike Yastrzemski on a fly ball to right field to end the ballgame. He now boasts a 3.15 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and a 92/19 K/BB ratio over 65 2/3 innings on the season to go along with 13 saves and six victories.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
2 months ago
Smith had one of the worst outings of his career in a non-save situation a week ago, but he’s since pitched four scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and three saves. Given that he has worked four times in five days, the Guardians might give him Wednesday off, opening the door for Hunter Gaddis to earn a save.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
2 months ago
Smith now has 11 saves on the season and has allowed seven runs on 13 hits in 17 2/3 innings since the start of August. There have been two really poor outings in there, but the 26-year-old has been tremendous otherwise and would be a top-ten closer option next season if Emmanuel Clase’s gambling investigation impacts his 2026 status.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
2 months ago
Smith was called on to close out the game in the bottom of the ninth after Cleveland took a one-run lead in the top of the frame. He struck out two in a clean inning of work to secure the win and lock down his tenth save of the season to go with a 3.30 ERA over 62 2/3 innings.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
3 months ago
Brought into a 7-7 game with one on and two outs in the eighth, Smith gave up hits to all four batters he faced, making the score 11-7. The loss went to Hunter Gaddis, who left the one guy on base before Smith entered. It’s Smith’s worst outing since he stepped in for Emmanuel Clase, but it’s hard to attribute it to any closing pressures when he was just pitching in a tie game in the eighth. He’ll likely remain the Guardians’ primary closer going forward, and since he threw only 11 pitches tonight, he should be available Wednesday.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
3 months ago
Smith was outstanding after entering to protect a one-run lead with two outs in the eighth. The 26-year-old now has nine saves in 2025, and he struck out three while lowering his ERA to 2.97. It’s not quite the dominant effort of 2024, but it’s one that has shown Smith is going to stick around for a long time.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
3 months ago
Smith retired Carson Williams, Nick Fortes and Chandler Simpson with the automatic runner on, and the Guardians went on to score in the bottom of the inning. It’s Smith’s fourth win to go along with five saves this month.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
3 months ago
Smith didn’t record an out against the Rangers on Friday. The 26-year-old right-hander entered the ninth inning with a one-run lead. He allowed a double to Wyatt Langford, a single to Corey Seager that tied the game and a double to Joc Pederson to give the Rangers the win. Smith has suddenly blown three saves since Emmanuel Clase was placed on the restricted list, but remains the top option for saves as long as Clase is away from the team.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
3 months ago
The homer by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was just the fourth Smith has surrendered in 132 2/3 innings as a major leaguer. It’s Smith’s second blown save since Emmanuel Clase was placed on the restricted list, but he does have four saves and three wins this month.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
3 months ago
Smith gave up an RBI triple to Geraldo Perdomo in the ninth, but it came with the Guardians holding a 3-0 lead. The 26-year-old now has seven saves on the season with a 2.73 ERA, and he should see the bulk of the chances as long as Emmanuel Clase is unavailable.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
3 months ago
Saves don’t get much cheaper than this, but Smith will take it. Nic Enright pitched a scoreless eighth before loading the bases with two outs in the ninth, creating the save opp. Smith then got a soft liner from Liam Hicks to end the game.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
3 months ago
Smith finished the eighth in a 3-3 tie and remained in after the Guardians took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the inning. It’s his fifth win to go along with five saves this season. Three of those wins and two of the saves have come in his six appearances this month.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
3 months ago
Smith struck out two and didn’t allow a baserunner while registering his fifth save of the season. With Emmanuel Clase likely out for the remainder of the season, and possibly even next season, there’s an argument for Smith being a top ten closer in baseball.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
4 months ago
After imploding in his first save chance following Emmanuel Clase’s leave of absence, Smith was much sharper this time — throwing 14 of his 17 pitches for strikes. He got Mark Vientos on a pop out to third, Jeff McNeil on a fly ball to left and Francisco Alvarez on a comebacker to the mound to end it. He should be considered the team’s top option in the ninth inning for the remainder of the season.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
4 months ago
Smith got the call for Cleveland’s first save opportunity since Emmanuel Clase was placed on paid leave through August 31 amid a league investigation into sports gambling. It didn’t go well. The 26-year-old righty was tasked with protecting a one-run lead in the ninth inning and immediately served up a ground-rule double to Warming Bernabel, who came around to score the tying run on ensuing batter Brenton Doyle’s bunt single. He was pulled from the contest a couple batters later after coughing up a go-ahead RBI single to Tyler Freeman. It wouldn’t be shocking if Guardians manager Stephen Vogt turned to Hunter Gaddis for the next save chance.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
7 months ago
Smith was brought in after the Guardians took an 8-6 lead in the top of the seventh and gave up a walk (in which two of the four pitches were strikes), a pair of singles and then a double with two outs. Manager Stephen Vogt made a switch at that point, and Hunter Gaddis went on to allow both inherited runners to score on another double. The outing practically tripled Smith’s ERA from 1.08 to 3.12, though it really doesn’t make any difference in his outlook.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
7 months ago
Smith was summoned to protect a one-run lead in the final frame after Emmanuel Clase, who has been dealing with shoulder discomfort recently, tossed a perfect eighth. He immediately got into trouble by coughing up a leadoff single to Ceddanne Rafaela and walking Jarren Duran, which put the potential tying run in scoring position. He managed to retire Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman on harmless fly outs before striking out Trevor Story to preserve the victory. The 25-year-old should be rostered in all fantasy formats at this juncture.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
7 months ago
We’re assuming Emmanuel Clase was given a second straight day off because he threw 30 pitches while working for the third time in three days on Sunday. Though that did mean using Smith for a fourth time in five days. Fortunately, Smith needed just four pitches to retire Jasson Domínguez, Austin Wells and Oswaldo Cabrera. Smith will almost certainly get Wednesday off, but unless something bad is going on, Clase will be available then.
CLE • Pitcher • #36
7 months ago
Emmanuel Clase had pitched three straight days, including a blown save on Sunday, so he obviously wasn’t available today. Smith got the call a little later than usual and did what he typically does. He’s pitched scoreless ball in 10 of 12 appearances, and the runs were unearned in one of the other two cases.