5 worst Guardians free agent signings of the Chris Antonetti era 

4. Paul Sewald 

Another signing from the 2025 offseason who didn’t finish the year on the Guardians’ roster. 

In 2023, Sewald was the top closing option for an Arizona Diamondbacks team that made it to the World Series. And although he had a disastrous 2024 season with Arizona, the Guardians bought the dip and signed him to a one-year, $7.5 million contract. 

It didn’t work out. 

While Sewald picked up the save for the Guardians on Opening Day, he had a 6.17 ERA at the end of April before being placed on the injured list with a right shoulder strain.

He returned for three games at the start of July before going on the injured list again (this time with a moderate teres major strain). 

Not long after, the Guardians decided to pull the plug on the Sewald experiment by trading him to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for good ol’ cash considerations.