Cleveland Getting Key Bullpen Piece Back From Injury

Originally posted on FanNation Cleveland Baseball Insider
By Tommy Wild | Last updated 5/5/23

The Cleveland Guardians had one of the best bullpens in baseball in 2022. They were virtually unhittable during the final stretch of the season and helped the team run away with the American League Central.

A key part of that dominance was left-hand reliever Sam Hentges who found a home in the bullpen after being called up as a starter in 2021. Hetges posted a 2.32 ERA in 57 games and 62.0 innings pitched for the Guardians last season.

However, he's yet to make an appearance this season due to should inflammation that popped up during Spring Training. Thankfully, Hentges is back on the active roster and is ready to go out of the bullpen starting Friday night as Cleveland takes on their division, Minnesota Twins.

Cleveland's bullpen has already seen a ton of work this season due to injuries to the starting rotation. They've pitched a total of 113.0 innings which is average among MLB teams and they have a reliever ERA of 3.35which is top 10 in baseball.

Hentges returning will give the Guardians a different look out of their relievers with him being a lefty. He's also been reliable in the past in high-leverage situations which have been an issue for the bullpen this season.

The Southpaw return won't fix all of Cleveland's problems, but it is a nice start.

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This article first appeared on FanNation Cleveland Baseball Insider and was syndicated with permission.

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