Guardians' Closer Cade Smith Struggles to Find Form Early in 2026 Season

The young reliever has seen a dip in performance after taking over the closer role last year.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 5:29pm

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A fractured, multi-angled painting depicting the motion of a baseball pitcher, with sharp geometric shapes and planes in navy, red, and yellow, conveying the tension and uncertainty surrounding the Guardians' closer role.A cubist interpretation of the Guardians' closer Cade Smith's struggles to find his dominant form on the mound this season.Baltimore Today

Cade Smith, the Cleveland Guardians' closer, has had a rocky start to the 2026 MLB season after taking over the role last year when Emmanuel Clase was suspended. While Smith has managed to earn saves, his underlying numbers have declined, with an increase in hard-hit balls, wild pitches, and inherited runners scoring. Manager Stephen Vogt has expressed confidence in Smith, but the young reliever will need to regain his dominant form to solidify the back end of the Guardians' bullpen.

Why it matters

The Guardians' bullpen was a strength in 2025, and Smith's emergence as the closer was a key part of that. His struggles this season could put pressure on the team's pitching staff and impact their chances of returning to the playoffs after a successful 2025 campaign.

The details

Smith took over the closer role last July after the league and Justice Department suspended Clase for a gambling probe. In 2025, Smith finished with 19 holds, 16 saves, and 6 blown saves. However, this season, Smith's numbers have taken a turn for the worse. His barrel percentage, a metric that measures how hard the ball is hit off him, has jumped from 4% in 2025 to 9.7% in 2026. His average exit velocity has also increased from 89.2 mph to 91.9 mph. Smith has also thrown more wild pitches, with 4 in 10 innings compared to just 3 in 73.2 innings last year.

  • On April 16, 2026, Smith entered a game against the Baltimore Orioles with a 4-0 lead in the 9th inning, but allowed both inherited runners to score before getting the save.
  • In 2025, Smith finished the season with 19 holds, 16 saves, and 6 blown saves after taking over the closer role in July.

The players

Cade Smith

The Cleveland Guardians' closer who took over the role in 2025 after the suspension of Emmanuel Clase.

Emmanuel Clase

The former Guardians closer who was suspended by MLB and the U.S. Justice Department in a gambling probe and is unlikely to pitch in the Majors again.

Stephen Vogt

The manager of the Cleveland Guardians, who has expressed confidence in Cade Smith despite his early-season struggles.

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What they’re saying

“When Cade's at his best, everyone knows what's coming and they still can't hit it because he's getting it to the right spots. And right now he's just not able to get the pitches exactly where he wants. And yet Cade's been nearly flawless. Yes, he's giving up runs, but he's getting the job done. And I think that's just testament to him when he doesn't feel at his best, he's still able to finish games for us.”

— Stephen Vogt, Manager

What’s next

The Guardians will continue to monitor Smith's performance and may need to consider other options in the closer role if his struggles continue. The team's success this season could hinge on stabilizing the back end of their bullpen.

The takeaway

Cade Smith's early-season struggles as the Guardians' closer raise concerns about the team's bullpen depth and their ability to maintain their success from 2025. While manager Stephen Vogt has expressed confidence in Smith, the young reliever will need to regain his dominant form to solidify the closer role and help the Guardians return to the playoffs.