The Yell and The Moves doing the job out of the bullpen: Guardians takeaways

GuardiansHunter Gaddis has not allowed a run in seven appearances this postseason for the Guardians.AP Photo/Adam HungerCLEVELAND, Ohio — Just call them The Yell and The Moves.That’s how relievers Erik Sabrowski and Hunter Gaddis react when they end an inning with a big out for the Guardians.Sabrowski, a left-hander, stomps off the mound, flexes and screams. Gaddis, a right-hander, bounces/skips off the mound.They work the late innings in tight ballgames, trying to get the lead and the ball to closer Cade Smith. In six appearances this postseason, Sabrowski is 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA. He’s allowed four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and three walks.Gaddis has appeared in seven of Cleveland’s eight postseason games. He’s 1-0 and has not allowed a run in six innings. He’s struck out seven, walked two and allowed seven hits in six innings.In September, Gaddis led the big leagues with 14 appearances. Add seven more games from his work in the ALDS and ALCS, and he’s at 75 appearances and counting. The number would be higher, but he opened the year on the injured list with a sore right forearm.Sabrowski, who spent time on the IL during the regular season with a sore left elbow, has appeared in 66 total games this year.How do they prepare for that workload?Rain delays start of Guardians-Rays ALCS Game 4 with uncertainty surrounding Friday’s first pitchALCS Guardians vs. Rays Live Updates: Will Mother Nature deter Cleveland from Game 4?How to watch Guardians playoff game for free tonight “Tylenol and Red Bull,” said Gaddis with a laugh. “For me, I just want the ball. And then adrenaline, once you’re out on that mound, I mean, there’s no pain, there’s no soreness, there’s nothing.“Like, I could not feel good and as soon as they call my name on the phone, everything goes away.”The low-budget Guardians have won the AL Central for three straight years. They have made the postseason 10 times in the last 20 years.How have they done that?“They just keep giving Gaddi the ball 300 times,” joked Sabrowski.Sabrowski added, “From our first meeting on day one in spring training, Vogter (manager Stephen Vogt) has said, our goal isn’t to try and sneak into the playoffs. Our goal is not the division. Our goal is to win the whole thing.“I think him setting those terms from day one kind of resonates with the players. And we know what job we have to do, and we do our best to perform it.”The Guardians claimed Sabrowski from San Diego in the minor league phase of the Rule Draft in 2021.Gaddis, 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, was Cleveland’s fifth round pick in 2019.“When I was drafted, the whole things was how are we going to get you better to help the big-league team,” said Gaddis. “It was never about just moving up to Double-A or Triple-A.“It was how can we get you ready? If it takes five years, if it’s next year, how can we get you ready to help us win in the big leagues? I heard that all the way through.”The message didn’t change when he made his big league debut in 2022.“When you get here, it’s the same thing,” said Gaddis. “It’s how can we win today and don’t worry about what happens next.”Open upVogt said Shawn Armstrong was comfortable when he asked him to fill the opener role for Game 4 Saturday night. He said Armstrong has filled the role several times in his career, including making six starts for the Rays in 2024.The Rays, of course, invented the opener role.Talk, talkThe postseason has Vogt hopping.“It’s busy,” said Vogt before Game 4. “So, we have meetings before the meetings and meetings after the meetings and meetings during the meetings.“I’m just grateful for the awesome people I work with so I don’t feel like I’m doing this by myself.”Finally-Nathaniel Lowe drove in 27 runs for the Guardians after being acquired from the Reds on Aug. 3.-Jo Adell drove in 32 runs for the Guardians after being acquired from the Angels on Aug. 3.-Patrick Bailey drove in 32 runs for the Guardians after being acquired from the Giants on May 9.-Following the Aug. 3 trade deadline, the Guardians averaged 4.67 runs per game through the end of the season. Before the deadline, they averaged 3.95 runs per game. Paul Hoynes, born in Cleveland, has been the beat writer for the Indians/Guardians since 1983. He attended Cathedral Latin High School in Cleveland and received a journalism degree from Marquette University. He...