Cade Smith DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Cade Smith was called upon in the ninth inning of the first game of Saturday's doubleheader with the Boston Red Sox. Fellow relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase (shoulder) has been banged up and struggled in the early part of the season. That being said, Smith has been given more chances in the ninth inning lately. On Saturday, Smith tossed a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit, one walk, and struck out a batter to earn his third save of the season. Smith figures to remain in the mix for saves throughout the season, so fantasy managers should keep an eye on him.

Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Cade Smith was tasked with holding a two-run lead versus the New York Yankees on Monday. The Guardians went with Smith after Emmanuel Clase was declared unavailable after pitching in three straight games. Smith didn't have any issues as he retired the side on only 11 pitches and struck out two batters in the process. This was a nice surprise for fantasy managers, but Smith is likely to return to his setup role after this game. He's worth rostering in some fantasy formats, but won't offer great value with Clase as the primary closer.

New York Yankees starting pitching prospect Cade Smith pitched a season-high seven innings on Thursday en route to his second victory of the campaign. He did not allow a run and surrendered just two hits and two free passes. He struck out five. This was a big bounce-back outing for the young right-hander, as he has allowed multiple runs in his previous two starts. Through his first seven starts of professional ball at Single-A (37 innings), he holds a 2.41 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and an 18:46 BB:K ratio. Smith is still several seasons away from the major leagues but with the strong start that he has had, he could develop into one of New York's top pitching arms. The 22-year-old remains a name to monitor in dynasty leagues, especially if he reaches High-A by the end of the summer.