[Passan] Right-handed reliever Shawn Armstrong and the Cleveland Guardians are in agreement on a one-year, $5.5 million contract that includes a mutual option, sources tell ESPN. Armstrong, 35, was one of the most effective RP in MLB this year, with batters hitting .157 over 74 innings.

30 comments

  1. Pretty solid move, nice! He’s probably your 7th inning guy. Now please find a bat or two

  3. I wonder what the corresponding move will be. This should be the last piece needed for the bullpen for now.

  5. Bullpen and starting rotation are loaded and deep. Now just add a righty vet MIF, CF or 1B/DH type with some pop and let’s roll

  9. Solid. So we have added Brogdon, holderman, bruihl, and Armstrong in about a two week span. And pallette via rule 5.

    Lots of bullpen depth, but only 7-8 can be rostered at once.

  15. There’s our legit bullpen piece. I think this is a great signing for the money. Now get a bat dammit!

    Last 4 years

    3.29 ERA, 1.15 WHIP (3.19 FIP)

    Average of 64 IP

    He has had some really good years and really bad years in his career, and including the last 4, but the last 4 his underlying stats have been consistent

    I think he should start as closer so Cade Smith can move back to a fireman role

    Edit: Upon further research, I feel the same except I don’t think he should close. He has big splits (way better against righties) so he will be better utilized mixing and matching

  17. Don’t know enough about him but this feels like another Scott Barlow/ Paul Seward type of move that hasn’t worked out for us.

  21. Fun nugget here, with a hat tip to my MLB dot com colleague Brian Murphy:

    Armstrong had a 0.81 WHIP and .157 opponents’ batting average in 2025. He ranked second and third in the Majors, respectively, in those categories.

  22. Do we have anyone who can be our strike-out artist/high leverage guy? Like who cade smith was before he was forced to become the closer?

  23. Sick! I don’t mind Gaddis during the regular season at the 7 or 8 but in playoffs dude is the anti-Christ

  24. Watch thus guy be like terrible while Holderman and Bruihl are like sub 2 ERA relievers randomly.

  25. How many games do you think a team with 20 bullpen guys can win? Seems like we’re determined to find out

  26. I’m not going to complain about adding established pieces. Although I must say I was interested in seeing what Espino could bring to the pen. He might not be a safe bet health wise but it’s starting to look like he might break camp with Columbus regardless.

  28. Glad he’s still getting quality innings. At 35 I felt like my body was falling apart. Hahaha

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