Signing of Paul Sewald deemed to be positive for Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians' bullpen will look a little different in 2025, with a new arm joining their ranks. Paul Sewald signed a one-year $7 million deal with Cleveland to bolster one of the best relief corps in the sport. This may not be the most exciting move or one that will greatly impact the upcoming season, but it could still prove quite valuable.

When it comes to evaluating this addition to Cleveland's bullpen, it turns out that it is viewed quite favorably. Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer gave the Guardians a "B" grade for signing Sewald, a grade that is determined to be solid by the author's grading scale.

Rymer would start off by saying that the Guardians did not necessarily need another bullpen arm, but Sewald's addition should help take it to the next level while also adding, "It was a lost season for him, but he had previously been a top-tier strikeout artist with an unhittable fastball.". Adding any type of relief arm with a fastball being considered unhittable will always have a level of appeal to it, and that applies to what Sewald can bring to the table in 2025.

Sewald's 2024 saw him finish with a 4.31 ERA, 1.134 WHIP, and 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings. These numbers are down from his previous three-year averages for each statistic (2.95 ERA, 0.977 WHIP, 12.2 K/9), but they are still good enough to take up a late-inning non-closer role in Cleveland.

Of course, it should be mentioned that Sewald's arrival did not come without a cost. The Guardians needed to make room on their roster, and Pedro Avila was considered to be the odd man out. Avila was designated for assignment by the Guardians and has elected to become a free agent instead of accepting his assignment. This will give Avila a chance to catch on with another major league ballclub rather than being relegated to hoping he can get a spot in Cleveland's bullpen if everything goes his way.

Essentially, the Guardians have swapped out the proven Sewald for the low-leverage innings work of Avila and it is hard to argue with that bullpen construction process.