The Guardians’ Unforeseen Collapse: A Deep Dive into the Bullpen’s 2024 Performance

The Guardians’ Bullpen: A Pillar of Strength

Stephen Vogt, the highly regarded manager of the Guardians, recognized the pivotal role his bullpen played in the team’s success during the 2024 season. One after the other, he acknowledged the four key relievers who had carried the team to remarkable heights. Their exceptional contribution, however, seemed to falter toward the end, leading to a disappointing performance collapse.

Emmanuel Clase, widely celebrated as the world’s top reliever, was at the forefront of this bullpen. Cade Smith, another star, was a strong contender for the AL Rookie of the Year award, while Hunter Gaddis and Tim Herrin made notable contributions. The combined efforts of these four resulted in 290 innings with an impressive 1.49 ERA. However, their performance against the Yankees was less than stellar, allowing 11 runs in 13 innings.

The Guardians’ Reliance on the Bullpen

Despite the bullpen’s declining performance, Vogt continually handed over the ball to these four pitchers. The Guardians clinched the AL Central title mainly because of their effective relievers, whose collective ERA was significantly better than any other team’s. This reliance on their bullpen continued into October, with each of the four key relievers appearing in multiple playoff games. However, it soon became evident that their performance was suffering.

Vogt acknowledged the fatigue, saying, “Everybody is tired. We’ve relied on them heavily. It’s part of our identity.” History suggests that teams relying heavily on their bullpen during the postseason struggle to win the World Series.

The Guardians’ Struggle in the Yankees Series

During the Yankees series, the Guardians’ bullpen accounted for an astonishing 62.4% of the team’s playoff innings. Smith, in particular, appeared to struggle. His fastball, usually his best pitch, was noticeably slower than usual. Despite this, Smith remained committed to improving his performance, promising to talk to the pitching coaches about any necessary adjustments.

The Yankees’ familiarity with Smith and the other relievers may have contributed to their success. As Austin Hedges, the Guardians’ catcher, noted, “It’s a game of adjustments, and whoever wins the adjustment game is probably going to win the series.”

Challenges of Extended Play

Playing into late October can take a toll on a team’s relievers, and the Guardians were no exception. This over-reliance was not a calculated choice by Vogt or the Guardians’ management. Rather, it was a result of the team’s struggle with starting pitchers.

This season, the Guardians’ bullpen, once their strongest asset, showed signs of weakness in the face of extended play and heightened pressure. Even Clase, regarded as baseball’s best reliever, struggled to execute his pitches.

The Guardians’ Future

Despite the bullpen’s struggles, Vogt remained committed to his relievers, calling on them again in a bid to extend the Guardians’ season. Unfortunately, the bullpen’s performance continued to decline, culminating in Gaddis’ game-ending walk-off homerun to Juan Soto in Game 5.

This disappointing end to an otherwise successful season underscores the challenges teams face when relying heavily on their bullpen. Looking ahead, the Guardians may need to reassess their strategy to ensure a less taxing performance for their relievers and, ultimately, greater success in future seasons.