The Cleveland Guardians have made it clear that they need to add depth to their bullpen this offseason. Stephen Vogt didn’t hold back on that topic during the Winter Meetings earlier in the week.
The team has already made a few moves to address the reliever core, but made another one on Thursday afternoon.
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The Guardians signed RHP Colin Holderman to a one-year, $1.5 million deal, per multiple reports. The 30-year-old still has some minor-league options remaining on his contract and is under team control beyond the 2026 season.
Adding Holderman to the bullpen doesn’t have to be a short-term option thanks to his existing MLB contract.
Holderman has pitched in the last four big league seasons. He made his debut with the New York Mets and, most recently, pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has a career ERA of 4.13 and a 1.40 WHIP.
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The 30-year-old really struggled during the 2025 season with the Pirates. He appeared in 24 games and registered a 7.01 ERA and a 1.95 WHIP. That said, Holderman had a successful 2023 and 2024 season, recording a combined ERA of 3.52, a 1.323 WHIP, and an ERA+ 23 percent better than the league average.
Aug 28, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Colin Holderman (35) throws in relief in the eighth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images
Perhaps this is the version of Holderman that the Guardians believe they can help him return to within their organization.
Moving past just the simple counting stats, Holderman does feature a full arsenal of pitches, including a sinker, sweeper, cutter, fastball, split-finger, and curveball.
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The right-hander’s fastball velocity was 97.3 mph in 2025, which ranked in the 90th percentile. That said, Holderman’s sweeper got crushed, recording an opposing batting average of .424 in 133 pitches.
There is certainly some work that needs to be done, but the Guardians definitely have a history of getting the most out of their arms. It remains to be seen whether the same is in store for Holderman.
Once the team makes this transaction official, Cleveland’s 40-man roster will be full. If the team hopes to make any other moves this offseason, they’ll need to take a player or two off the 40-man roster to make any other additions.