Guardians Staff Confident Cade Smith Will Recover Following Early-Season Issues

Cade Smith hasn't quite looked like the player he was in 2025, or even 2024.

"Cade is a little erratic," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said back in early April. "It's not the pinpoint command and control that we're used to seeing from Cade. His stuff is still moving forward really well. The fastball is still one of the best pitches in baseball. Just the command and the control right now are a little bit off.

"He's aware of it. We're aware of it. And he's working every day to get it back."

At his peak, Smith was lighting up hitters, posting a sub-1.00 WHIP and earning recognition from his advanced metrics as one of the game’s most dominant late-game pitchers.

But to begin the new campaign, he hasn't looked too sharp.

Across 10 innings pitched, which is a team-high for bullpen arms, he has a 4.50 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with a .268 batting average against. On Thursday, April 16, in a 4-2 victory for Cleveland, Smith came in relief for starting pitcher Parker Messick, who tossed eight no-hit innings and struck out nine batters.

In his short time on the mound, Smith allowed two hits, which allowed the Baltimore Orioles to score their only two runs scored on the night. While they weren't attributed to him, due to Messick being the one to initially allow runners on base, it wasn't a good look for how his first season has gone as the full-time closer.

"I think Cade's still not 100% where he needs to be, and he knows that… their at-bats off him tonight were unbelievable," Vogt said.

“I think Cades still not 100% where he needs to be, and he knows that… their at bats off him tonight were unbelievable”#Guardians manager Stephen Vogt on Cade Smith’s outing#GuardsBall x @WEWS pic.twitter.com/2PUq0oF93z
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) April 17, 2026

Although there hasn't been much to be happy about with Smith this season, at least on the surface level, his advanced metrics in years past have shown that he's one of the best arms in all of baseball.

Back in 2024, his first year in the big leagues, he threw an impressive 1.91 ERA and 0.903 WHIP, posting advanced metrics that had him in the 95th percentile and above in xERA, xBA, K%, Pitching Run Value and Fastball Run Value.

The following campaign, 2025, he only grew as a pitcher.

His advanced metrics jumped to the 90th percentile and above in xERA, xBA, Whiff%, K%, Barrel% and Fastball Run Value. His ERA and WHIP jumped up a little bit, but his ability to force batters to chase and send down just about anyone he faced made him an incredible value for Cleveland's pitching staff.

"There's no situation that's too big for him," Vogt said in Friday's pregame press conference. "He's handled the ninth inning extremely well since he got forced into that role last year, and it's just a matter of him getting back to being himself."

More today from #Guardians Stephen Vogt on Cade Smith:

"There's no situation that's too big for him. He's handled the ninth inning extremely well since he got forced into that role last year, and it's just a matter of him getting back to being himself."#GuardsBall @WEWS https://t.co/PH97wmT1Hb pic.twitter.com/kGYSwAXopw
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) April 17, 2026

It's not like the Guardians are just going to forget about Smith or change his role up this early in the campaign, so he will have plenty of opportunities to rebound and return to previous form.

Cleveland is back in action on Friday, April 17, for game two of a four-outing set against the Orioles.

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