Guardians closer Cade Smith earns 2026 All-Star selection

CLEVELAND — The Guardians have built a reputation of being one of the best pitching factories in the major leagues. Closer Cade Smith, yet another their success story, will now get to travel from that assembly line floor to the All-Star Game in Philadelphia.

Smith was one of three Guardians players selected to the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, along with second baseman Travis Bazzana and starting pitcher Parker Messick. All three were voted in by their peers via the players’ vote.

“I think it’s a huge honor, and I’m looking forward to really soaking it in and just enjoying the experience,” Smith said. “There’s a lot of really great baseball players at this level and I have a lot of respect for a lot of them, even the ones on the other team, so it’s really cool to have that reputation.”

Guardians catcher Austin Hedges and others in the organization have been screaming that Smith was one of the elite relievers in the game since his rookie season. Although Emmanuel Clase received a lot of the notoriety as the club’s closer, Smith put up exceptional numbers, albeit with quieter fanfare.

Once Clase was put on leave because of his alleged role in a gambling scandal — he and starting pitcher Luis Ortiz are still awaiting trial in federal court — Smith moved into the closer’s role and has continued the trend of manager Stephen Vogt never really having to worry about the ninth inning.

“Yeah, it’s nice, it’s a good feeling, but it’s not by accident,” Vogt said of knowing Smith has that inning handled. “To me, he’s been an All-Star. This should be his third All-Star Game with how he’s pitched. Cade is the hardest worker I’ve ever seen. His routines are dialed.”

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The numbers have followed to back up some lofty claims. Entering July 5, Smith led the league with 26 saves while posting a 2.97 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 39⅓ innings this season. He’s also the only American League reliever to rank in the top four in fWAR (1.5), FIP (2.04) and K/9 rate (13.04). And, since he entered the league in 2024, no reliever in the majors has more fWAR than his 6.9.

“Cade is so impressive in many ways,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “Really from the time he joined the club a couple of years ago, he’s been an instrumental part of our bullpen. And he puts in the work every single day to prepare to succeed, and I think we all get the benefit of seeing that play out on the field, with just how consistent he’s been as a pitcher and the way he handles those big moments.

“He is as hard of, if not the hardest, worker we have.”

Once Smith found something that worked as he climbed the ladder to the majors, he refused to let go. And so continues the Cleveland pitching factory, with Vogt forever relieved any time he gets to call on Smith to jog to the mound from the bullpen in the ninth inning (or, sometimes if there’s a high leverage situation, the eighth).

“I think this organization does a great job at emphasizing the importance of routines, and they also do a great job of individualizing them,” Smith said. “I know the things that are important to me, for me to keep my body ready to perform, keep my mind ready to perform. And I’ve got to cling onto that with a death grip, so to speak.”

Ryan Lewis covers the Guardians for the Akron Beacon Journal. He can be reached at rlewis1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians closer Cade Smith earns 2026 All-Star selection