How patient should the Guardians be with Cade Smith?

The hosts of Afternoon Drive on The Fan discuss the growing frustration with Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith, who has struggled early in the season despite possessing elite stuff. While acknowledging his past success and potential for improvement, especially given his strong finish to the previous year, the hosts express diminishing patience as his inconsistency continues. They emphasize that closers have one primary job—preserving leads—and that underperforming in high-leverage situations is unacceptable, especially when the team’s offense and rotation are performing well. The conversation weighs the risks of demoting Smith versus giving him more time, with a consensus that two more weeks may be the limit before action is taken. The possibility of promoting AAA prospect Brayan Espino is considered, though the hosts caution against thrusting a raw, injury-plagued arm into the closer role without proper development. Ultimately, the episode centers on the tension between player development and team performance, with the hosts questioning whether Cade Smith’s mental approach or mechanical issues are to blame—and whether the organization’s pitching coach, Carl Willis, can intervene in time.