Did overconfidence sink Guardians' bullpen, ALCS hopes?

The Cleveland Guardians’ bullpen was nothing short of dominant in 2024. It led MLB with a 2.57 ERA during the regular season, gave up the fewest runs in baseball (205) and saved the team after it lost ace Shane Bieber to Tommy John surgery in April. 

Cleveland's strategy was simple: build a lead, then hand it off to the relief corps, who would close the door. From the seventh inning on, Cleveland’s regular-season ERA dropped to a minuscule 2.47. 

But that formula crumbled in October under the bright lights of the postseason. The Guardians relievers collapsed spectacularly in the ALCS — unraveling at the worst possible moment against the New York Yankees. The result was a 4-1 series loss.

In Game 2, Hunter Gaddis, who had posted a 1.57 ERA during the season, gave up two earned runs in just 0.2 innings. The cracks in Cleveland’s armor were showing, but the Guardians still found a way to win a dramatic Game 3. 

However, even that victory came at a cost. Gaddis surrendered another run in 0.2 innings and the seemingly unshakable Emmanuel Clase, who led the majors with 47 saves, blew a save by allowing back-to-back home runs to Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

Game 4 was the breaking point.

With Cleveland trailing 3-2 in the sixth inning, rookie Cade Smith was inexplicably left to pitch to Stanton, with an injured Anthony Rizzo waiting on deck. Rizzo hit .429 in the series, but posed far less of a power threat than Stanton. 

Smith, who had been lights-out during the season with a 1.91 ERA, left a pitch over the plate and Stanton launched it into the stands for a three-run homer, widening the Yankees’ lead to 6-2.

But that wasn’t the only head-scratching decision Cleveland made.

In an elimination Game 5, with the Guardians leading 2-0, Tanner Bibee found himself pitching to Stanton again. It was the sixth inning, there were two outs and first base was open. 

Jazz Chisholm Jr., who batted just .158 in the series, was on deck. All the logic pointed to an intentional walk, but the Guardians chose to pitch to Stanton — and he made them pay once more. 

Stanton crushed a game-tying two-run home run.