The Cleveland Guardians have re-signed pitcher Kolby Allard to a Minor League deal after designating him for assignment. Allard will be optioned to Triple-A Columbus as the team looks to strengthen its bullpen.
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The Cleveland Guardiansâ bullpen was a point of emphasis during the offseason, and while the group has a strong start to the 2026 season, it is starting to show some cracks.
Part of this could be how much the team has relied on the bullpen amid a 13-game stretch in 13 days, leaving it thin and overworked in nearly every game over the last week.
When the Guardians needed to add a fresh arm to the reliever core, they opted to designate Kolby Allard for assignment on April 13 after he threw 87 pitches in two days. Hunter Gaddis took his spot in the bullpen and on the 26-man roster ahead of Clevelandâs series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals.
After the roster moves, Allard opted to elect free agency, but the reliever is now back with the Cleveland organization. On Saturday, the Guardians re-signed the left-hander to a Minor League deal and optioned him to Triple-A Columbus.
Mar 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Kolby Allard (49) throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Allardâs overall season stats donât do justice to how much value heâs brought to the Guardiansâ bullpen this season, and even going back to last year. Yes, he has a 10.38 ERA (10ER/8.2IP) with a 2.19 WHIP, but Allard has routinely saved Clevelandâs bullpen, which is exactly what he did last Sunday against the Atlanta Braves.
The Guardians designated Kolby Allard for assignment due to his heavy workload, having thrown 87 pitches in two days, which left the bullpen needing fresh arms.
Kolby Allard's re-signing provides the Guardians with additional depth in their bullpen, which has been overworked during a demanding stretch of games.
After re-signing, Kolby Allard will be optioned to Triple-A Columbus to continue his development and provide the Guardians with bullpen support.
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âKolby does this for us all the time,â said manager Stephen Vogt last Sunday. âObviously gave up some runs tonight, but he takes the ball, and he saves the bullpen. That's what he does. And then we know he can get some big outs when we need him to, too.â
Not everyoneâs job in the bullpen is going to be to get outs in the ninth inning, as nice as that would be. Allard is a long reliever, and one the Guardians have continued to rely on.
Even though Allard is back in the Minors and not currently on the 40-man roster, it wouldnât be shocking to see him back with the big-league club later this season if the Guardians get into another bind and need a pitcher that can give the team multiple innings of relief out of the bullpen.
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