Guardians’ bullpen depth key to playoff run

DETROIT — The Guardians have leaned on the Majors’ best bullpen to get to this point, champions of the American League Central and tied at 1 in their AL Division Series against the Tigers.

Yet beyond Emmanuel Clase – the favorite for MLB’s Reliever of the Year Award – setup man Hunter Gaddis, elite lefty specialist Tim Herrin and blossoming rookie Cade Smith, there’s an army of unheralded arms within that group that could prove vital as this best-of-five round shifts to Comerica Park for Games 3 and 4.

“We’ve had eight or nine very good arms in that bullpen, and we trust all of them in every situation,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said on Tuesday. “And that’s been one of the biggest keys to our success, that anyone can take the ball in any situation.

“It’s just a testament to our player development, to our coaching staff and to the players. Most importantly, they put in their work and they’re prepared and they’re confident, and we feel comfortable giving any of those guys the ball at any time.”

Here’s a breakdown of the under-the-radar group:

The bulk-innings guys: RHP Gavin Williams, LHP Joey Cantillo
Williams hasn’t pitched in relief since his days at East Carolina University, but that could change soon, especially in Game 3 (with starter Alex Cobb potentially on a short leash) or Game 4, which could be a bullpen game, according to Vogt. Williams was going to do a trial run out of an inconsequential Game 162 vs. the Astros, but rain canceled that game.

“I picked up little things and when everybody starts their routine out there, and I’m trying to pick up on a few things here and there to see what they do and see what can work for me,” said Williams, who spent the regular season’s final three days in the bullpen.

Williams has a big fastball and throws it often – 51.5% of the time – but it’s his curve that keeps hitters honest, yielding a .155 opponents’ batting average and producing 27 of his 79 strikeouts this season.

Cantillo, a Hawaii native, is new to the group with just nine appearances (eight starts), including his MLB debut on July 28. The club’s No. 15 prospect would have been up sooner – especially after Shane Bieber suffered a season-ending elbow injury in early April – but he was sidelined until June with a left hamstring strain. As another lefty option for Vogt, Cantillo has a fastball that sits in the low 90s – though he can reach back for more – and he complements it with a high-70s changeup that’s generated a 43.7% whiff rate.

The highest-leverage option: RHP Eli Morgan
Morgan has regularly been deployed in Cleveland’s “pivot” role between the starter and the rest of the ‘pen. He sits in the low 90s with his heater, but his ability to command it at the top of the zone sets up his slider to break low and away to righties and in on lefties. He’s turned to the breaking ball much more than the changeup, his primary out pitch as he was coming up as a starter.

Coupled with his command, Morgan’s arsenal has regularly kept the ball off the barrel. His 28.1% hard-hit rate and 85.2 mph average exit velocity against are each the lowest among the pitchers in Cleveland’s ‘pen, and he’s surrendered only four homers among 180 batters faced (including the playoffs).

The lefty specialist: LHP Erik Sabrowski
A September callup, Sabrowski has yet to make his postseason debut, but that’ll likely change soon. He made just eight appearances with the Guardians this year but impressed, allowing just six hits, four walks and no runs upon facing 47 batters.

Having undergone Tommy John surgery twice, Sabrowski, a Rule 5 Draft pick in 2021, leans heavily on his four-seam fastball and complements it with a slider/curveball combo. He’ll almost certainly be deployed to neutralize the Tigers’ bevy of left-handed hitters after limiting lefties to a .598 OPS in the Minors this season.

The velocity guy: RHP Andrew Walters
Like Sabrowski, Walters was also called up in September and has yet to surrender an earned run in a limited sample. Overall, this is the first full pro season for the club’s No. 21 prospect, who was selected out of the University of Miami in the second round of last year’s Draft.

With big velocity that approaches 100 mph, Walters dazzled in Cleveland’s Spring Breakout game in March, coming one pitch shy of an immaculate inning. The club was so bullish on his potential that it started him out this season at Double-A Akron, where he posted a 1.35 ERA in 20 outings before earning a promotion to Triple-A Columbus on May 30, then to the Majors on Sept. 13.