4 role players who are making a difference for the Cleveland Guardians on the field and 2 who aren't

Hunter Gaddis - Early Season Difference-Maker

2024 stats: 0.00 ERA, 0.656 WHIP, 10.2 innings pitched

The opinion regarding Hunter Gaddis entering this season was not particularly high. Carrying a 6.57 ERA and 1.480 WHIP in his first 13 career appearances (nine starts), there were very few, if any, believing he could be a contributor for the Guardians this season. The good news is that Gaddis has defied expectations so far and has been a lockdown member of the Guardians relief corps. 

Striking out 15 batters in 10.2 innings while only allowing four hits and three walks in his first 11 appearances, Gaddis is proving to be a very valuable piece of Cleveland's bullpen. Gaddis appears to have settled into his current relief role, with only one of his appearances coming before the 7th inning. There has been only one time that multiple batters have reached base against Gaddis, allowing three hits in a 5-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners on April 1st, but none would score as he escaped unscathed in the stressful inning. It is that ability to dance out of danger that has made Gaddis one of Stephen Vogt's go-to guys early this year, being tied with five others for the second-most appearances by a reliever so far this season.