If there was ever a year the Cleveland Guardians needed the bullpen to help carry them, it’s going to be 2026.
While staying patient and quiet throughout the offseason, the Guardians have added just a few bullpen arms in hopes of bolstering late-game pitching scenarios. The three new arms expected to be on the major league roster come Opening Day are Shawn Armstrong, Colin Holdermann and Connor Brogdon, all of whom are looking to re-establish their worth on the mound in 2026.
The front office signed each to a one-year deal, making it somewhat of a prove-it type campaign for at least two of the new relievers. They’ve got the talent; the only question is if they can put it together and build a reliable season.
However, Armstrong stands out as a signing that’s flown under the radar a bit. In 2025, he was incredible for the Texas Rangers, tossing a 2.31 ERA across 74 innings. He also tacked on 22 games finished and nine saves.
He’ll slot in nicely in late-game situations with current Guardians closer Cade Smith, who was thrust into that role in 2025. He’s still getting adapted to that role, but he looked good enough to keep his job, with Armstrong expected to serve as a setup or fill-in closer in the upcoming season.
Guardians insider believes Smith will be the closer
Recently, Cleveland.com reporter Joe Noga spoke on the BIGPLAY Cleveland Show about the expected involvement of Armstrong with the Guardians in 2026, and how Smith is poised to take a bigger jump in the closer role.
“All indications are that Cade [Smith] is going to get the back end of things,” Noga said. “They are going to give him a chance to ease into that role…Armstrong is a veteran. He ate up a lot of innings last year. He’s going to be able to step in and eat up some innings so that Smith doesn’t get overworked.
“Hopefully the strikeout numbers stay consistent. Cade [Smith] has been excellent in that role.”