CLEVELAND, Ohio — A few bites into his steak inside the Guardians’ dining room Tuesday night at Progressive Field, Kolby Allard was greeted not with small talk, but a question laced in trust and necessity.

“Hey, you good to start, Kolby?” Stephen Vogt asked, knowing a bullpen game loomed for Wednesday evening.

Allard didn’t flinch. “Yeah, whatever you need,” he replied.

That brand of composure has become a signature.

Emmanuel Clase was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave a day earlier. Trade rumors were gaining volume by the hour. The Guardians were in need of more than just innings.

Allard doesn’t have one set role, and that’s the point. Five pitches, but it’s his adaptability that’s defined him.

The 27-year-old lefty has been stretched, bent, and dropped into nearly every pocket of the Guardians’ pitching plan — a starter, a middle man, a setup arm, a closer. Somehow, nothing seems to shake him. He adapts, resets, and performs.

Allard’s made 21 appearances this season, none more telling than Wednesday’s scoreless effort in a 5-0 win over Colorado. He gave the Guardians 3 1/3 innings, kept the Rockies off the board, and extended his streak to four consecutive outings without allowing an earned run. Over that stretch, he’s logged 6 1/3 innings, struck out 10 and surrendered just one hit.

“I think it’s kind of just taking that attitude of, you’re in there to get a zero, whether it’s the first, fifth, or ninth, and kind of just taking that attitude and running with it,” Allard said.

He’s made adapting look easy — even when it isn’t.

Pitchers are creatures of habits, living off routine — their days built around known roles and expected rhythms. That’s been a luxury Allard hasn’t had. And he’s not alone.

Across the Guardians’ roster, structure is a moving target. The lineup card shifts daily, tailored to the opponent’s pitcher, the latest matchups, or gut feel. Right field and designated hitter have become strategic battlegrounds — David Fry and Kyle Manzardo rotate in and out, depending on handedness or approach.

It’s a system built on flexibility, but it doesn’t always foster rhythm. For young players, it can mean development in fragments. For veterans, it means showing up without expectations.

And for players like Allard, it means being Cleveland’s fire extinguisher — wherever the sparks pop up.

“As players, all we can do is put the best foot forward we can that day, and I think that’s kind of the attitude I’ve been taking, and I think it’s the attitude the clubhouse has kind of been taken as well,” Allard said. “Try to stack as many wins as we can.”

Even Tuesday’s 10-4 blowout came with unease. Nothing about Cleveland’s next 48 hours was comfortable.

But Vogt still needed someone to set the tone for the next day without wavering, without succumbing to the noise.

The lefty went to work like he always does — no matter the inning, no matter the role. His name on the lineup card might as well be followed by an asterisk. What he’ll do depends on what the team needs.

And he keeps getting it done.

The Guardians are three games back in the American League wild card race, chasing wins while managing a roster that could look very different by Thursday. Allard has given them a reason to breathe — and believe.

“He just does whatever we ask of him. And he’s been great at it,” Vogt said. “I think outside of maybe one or two outings, he’s been almost perfect this year. So Kolby just wants to pitch. He wants to help us win games. Doesn’t care about his role. Just wants to help. And it’s been super valuable.”

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