​ESPN analyst Bradford Doolittle crowned Parker Messick the Guardians’ “First-half MVP,” but he also highlighted a trio of relievers—Cade Smith, Colin Holderman, and Erik Sabrowski—as Cleveland’s “real MVPs” for the season. The Sporting News originally reported the line, and readers can add The Sporting News as a preferred source by clicking here.
The Guardians sit at 47-45 in the regular season, just 1.0 game back of the Chicago White Sox for the lead in the AL Central. While the offense hasn’t lived up to expectations, the pitching staff has carried the team. Messick has emerged as a legitimate Cy Young contender this season, and Doolittle has given him a nod as the “First-half MVP.” Yet, in the same breath, Doolittle credited the Guardians’ high-leverage bullpen trio as the true MVPs.
“First-half MVP: Parker Messick (126 AXE). Messick has been fantastic,” Doolittle wrote. “… Still, the real MVP in Cleveland has been the high-leverage contingent of its bullpen, led by Cade Smith, Colin Holderman, and Erik Sabrowski.” Messick’s season has been outstanding, posting a 2.80 ERA, a 7-5 record, and 3.2 bWAR across 18 starts, with 109 strikeouts in 106 innings pitched. By bWAR, no other Guardians player approaches Messick’s value; his 3.2 bWAR leads the team, with Jose Ramirez at 2.5 and Bryan Rocchio at 2.3 bWAR trailing nearby.
While Messick has been the standout, Doolittle’s call for the reliever trio as the “real MVP” has sparked debate. Adding their bWAR totals together still trails Messick’s individual value, totaling about 2.4 bWAR for Smith, Holderman, and Sabrowski, compared with Messick’s 3.2 bWAR. This suggests Messick has carried a larger share of the Guardians’ impact this season, even if the bullpen has been crucial in bullpen-heavy late-game situations.
Looking at the bullpen’s numbers: Smith, Cleveland’s closer, owns a 2.90 ERA, 57 strikeouts, 26 saves, three blown saves, and 0.8 bWAR across 40.1 innings. Holderman has posted a 1.95 ERA with 38 strikeouts, no saves, and 1.1 bWAR across 32.1 innings. Sabrowski sits at a 3.33 ERA with 48 strikeouts, no saves, and 0.5 bWAR across 27 innings. Taken together, the three relievers have provided valuable late-inning work that has helped stabilize the Guardians’ pitching staff in high-leverage moments.
Despite Doolittle’s designation of the relievers as the Guardians’ “real MVPs,” Messick’s overall contribution remains the most significant on the roster. With a 2.80 ERA, a strong win-loss record, and 3.2 bWAR across 18 starts, Messick stands as Cleveland’s primary impact player this season, delivering the kind of sustained performance that defines a franchise cornerstone. The argument for Messick as the sole MVP is grounded in his broader, season-long production, which has carried the Guardians through a challenging offensive year.
As for the rest of the season, the Guardians will continue to rely on Messick’s command and the bullpen’s late-inning prowess to maintain competitiveness in the AL Central. The debate over who is the team’s true MVP highlights a larger conversation about how a team measures value—whether by a single transformative performer or by a combination of complementary contributors who support a star player. While Doolittle’s designation of the relievers as the “real MVPs” reflects the importance of bullpen depth, Messick’s overall value suggests he remains the Guardians’ most indispensable player this season.