No splash, no spotlight: the Guardians quietly reinforced their pitching staff with three additions at the Winter Meetings.NL
The MLB Winter Meetings wrapped up this week, and while the Guardians didn’t make any splashy headlines, they quietly went to work reshaping the back end of their bullpen. No blockbuster trades, no marquee free-agent signings – but three new arms are heading to Cleveland, each with something to prove and a chance to carve out a role in 2026.
Let’s break down the trio of relievers the Guardians added – Connor Brogdon, Peyton Pallette, and Colin Holderman – and what their arrivals could mean for a bullpen that’s seen its fair share of turnover due to injuries and free agency.
Connor Brogdon: A Low-Risk, High-Upside Bet
The Guardians got the ball rolling early by signing right-hander Connor Brogdon to a one-year, $900,000 major league deal just as the Winter Meetings got underway.
Brogdon’s coming off a forgettable 2025 season with the Angels, where he struggled to a 5.55 ERA over 47 innings while dealing with injuries. But don’t let that number tell the whole story. Earlier in his career with the Phillies, Brogdon flashed the kind of stuff that made him a reliable bullpen piece – and there’s reason to believe he can find that form again.
One key reason the Guardians are intrigued? **Extension.
** Brogdon ranks among the league leaders in that metric – which measures how close a pitcher is to home plate at the point of release. That extra perceived velocity can make a fastball play up and a changeup drop off the table.
It’s a trait Cleveland’s front office has been zeroing in on, and Brogdon fits that profile.
He’s likely to slot into a low-leverage role initially, potentially filling innings that were previously covered by arms like Zak Kent, Carlos Hernández, or Nic Enright. But if he stays healthy and shows flashes of his early-career form, Brogdon could become more than just a depth piece. And with two years of team control remaining, the Guardians could benefit beyond 2026 if he pans out.
Peyton Pallette: Rule 5 Gamble with Upside
Next up is Peyton Pallette, a right-hander snagged in the Rule 5 Draft from the White Sox system. Pallette spent last season between Double-A and Triple-A, posting a 4.06 ERA while transitioning from a starter to a reliever. The Guardians clearly saw enough in his arsenal to take the plunge – and that comes with some strings attached.
Because he was a Rule 5 pick, Pallette must stay on the 26-man roster all season or be offered back to Chicago. That’s a big commitment for a pitcher who’s never thrown a big league inning, and it likely means he’ll be eased in very carefully – think ultra-low-leverage spots early in the year.
Still, there’s precedent here. The Guardians struck gold the last time they took a Rule 5 bullpen flyer, pulling Trevor Stephan from the Yankees system in 2020.
Stephan developed into a key high-leverage arm. That’s the blueprint they’re hoping Pallette can follow, even if it takes some patience.
Colin Holderman: A Bounce-Back Candidate with Experience
The final piece of the bullpen trio came just after the Winter Meetings ended, as the Guardians signed Colin Holderman to a one-year, $1.5 million deal.
Holderman, 30, is coming off a tough 2025 campaign with the Pirates, where he posted a 7.01 ERA in just over 25 innings. Injuries played a role, but it was a step back after a solid two-year run in 2023 and 2024, when he pitched to a 3.52 ERA over 107 1/3 innings.
What makes Holderman intriguing is his pitch mix – a heavy sinker and a sweeper that can generate soft contact and whiffs when he’s right. He’s not overpowering, but when he’s locating, he can be a ground-ball machine and a stabilizing presence in the middle innings.
Holderman is expected to take over the role previously held by Jakob Junis, who gave the Guardians 66 2/3 innings of 2.97 ERA ball last season after signing a $4.5 million deal. If Holderman can come anywhere close to that level of production at a fraction of the cost, it’s a win for Cleveland’s front office.
A Familiar Strategy, a New Set of Arms
This offseason approach isn’t new for the Guardians. They’ve had success in recent years unearthing value from under-the-radar signings – Ben Lively and Jakob Junis being prime examples. Now, they’re hoping lightning strikes again with Brogdon, Pallette, and Holderman.
None of these moves are going to dominate the headlines, but they speak to a clear strategy: build bullpen depth on a budget, identify pitchers with untapped potential, and trust the development staff to bring it out.
If even one of these three relievers clicks, the Guardians’ bullpen outlook for 2026 looks a whole lot better. And if two or more pan out? Suddenly, Cleveland might have one of the savvier bullpens in the American League – again.
