AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GUARDIANS VS RAYS

October 16, 2026

Hunter Gaddis

Erik Sabrowski

Progressive Field

Cleveland Guardians

Pregame 4 Press Conference

Q. What is the challenge of pitching in weather like it will be tonight? What is the biggest challenge in pitching in weather that's this bad?

ERIK SABROWSKI: Probably just getting a grip on the ball. But we've all done it. We've all thrown in rain before. And I think it's just another ball game. Just happens to be a little damp.

Q. You've pretty much been out there every day, seems like. How are you holding up physically? How are you preparing yourself to be able to take the ball as frequently as you have been?

HUNTER GADDIS: I still feel good, especially coming in today. I'm ready for the ball. I want the ball as much as possible. And been blessed and lucky enough to still be able to go out there and give it my 100 percent.

Q. We've seen Shawn before as an opener with Tampa Bay but he hasn't done it with this team yet. From your perspective, as guys in the pen with him, why do you think he's so well-suited to take that first inning?

HUNTER GADDIS: I don't think it matters for him. I think he just wants the ball. This whole year he's been available for anything and whatever they've asked. And he's taken it by the horns and ran with it. And I've got faith in him to go out there and give us a good start.

Q. Every postseason as relievers are seeing teams multiple times in a series more often. There's a lot of conversation about whether that makes it more difficult to get guys out later in a series. You guys obviously saw the White Sox a bunch of times. What's your perspective on facing a team multiple times in a compressed timeframe? And is there anything you might be able to do to counteract any possible advantages, information (indiscernible) there?

ERIK SABROWSKI: That's a good one. When you, like you said, you're facing teams multiple times in a short period of time, I think it's just important to stick to what you're good at, your plan of attack.

There's a reason we're pitching in the playoffs. It means we've been doing pretty good all year. I think if you try and stray away from that, you're probably beating yourself almost before you even give the hitter a chance to beat you.

Q. What has allowed this organization to continually kind of make the postseason -- not every year, but pretty close to -- on this run? Is there one thing that they really stress, or what's behind that?

ERIK SABROWSKI: I think it's just the culture here. Meeting one with Vogter the last three years in Spring Training has been, guys, our goal isn't to try and squeak into the playoffs. Our goal is not the division. Our goal is to win the whole thing.

And I think him setting kind of those terms from day one kind of resonates with the players. And we know what job we have to do, and we do our best to perform it.

Q. Is there something specific they do with pitching?

ERIK SABROWSKI: They give Gaddi the ball 300 times.

(Laughter).

Q. Just to finally get another night game here at home after you guys have done such a good job shifting, how different is that? How much louder do these fans get? How much better does it feel for y'all with the lights on?

ERIK SABROWSKI: I think they were great the other day, right? They were dealt a tough hand. Unfortunately, people have jobs and lives and can't really get away from that to come watch us play ball. But the place was loud. It was rocking.

And we expect the same thing tonight. It's a fantastic place to play in the regular season. And now just with the heightened emotions of the playoffs, we're really excited. And I'm sure the fans are excited too.

Q. What is it about September and now October that you guys are playing your best ball?

ERIK SABROWSKI: Just coming together at the right time. It's a long season. We have our ups and downs. I mean if you peak in June or July, you're due for a tough stretch.

So I think the fact that we were kind of up and down all year and we're still within fighting distance of the division and playoffs come September, I think we realize we've been through the mud, now it's time to get going.

Q. How much do you guys keep up with Daniel when he went through what he was going through for like three, four years there? And to see him here now, pitching the way he is, how cool is that from your seats?

HUNTER GADDIS: A good bit. I remember asking whoever our pitching coaches were around, like, hows he doing? Is he throwing bullpens? Is he not? It's been amazing to watch him go through what he went through and to be able to come out here and put zeros on the board.

Q. Hunter, I think in September you led MLB in appearances. You pitched in seven of these eight postseason games. How do you prepare for that? What allows you to do that?

HUNTER GADDIS: Maybe some Tylenol, Red Bull. For me, it's really just the want. I just want the ball. And then adrenaline, once you're out on that mound, I mean, there's no pain, there's no soreness, there's nothing.

Like, I could not feel good and as soon as they call my name on the phone, everything goes away.

Q. Shawn said yesterday that he thought his season was over. From your perspective, what's it been like to see him on the comeback trail and obviously be able to help you guys at this point?

HUNTER GADDIS: Yeah, that was a tough moment there because it was kind of -- was it middle to late -- and then that was, the room was, like, that may be the end of this season for him. So it was really good.

We saw him every time we came back home, he was rehabbing, working hard to get ready to come back and help us out in these key moments like today and like the past couple of times he's pitched. So it's been amazing to see him come back, too.

Q. You mentioned adrenaline. First, which of you two has the better end-of-inning, big-strikeout celebration?

HUNTER GADDIS: He's definitely got the yell. I think I've got the moves.

ERIK SABROWSKI: Yeah, he's got the dance moves, for sure.

Q. What do you think it would take to get Cade Smith to do more than just a handshake?

ERIK SABROWSKI: Nothing. It's not going to happen don't wait around for it.

HUNTER GADDIS: I think we got one clap. Was it Game 5, right?

One little clap at the end.

ERIK SABROWSKI: That's a lot for him. It took him a while to come down from that.

(Laughter.)

Q. Erik, what's the worst weather you've ever played in back home?

ERIK SABROWSKI: Some snow, a few times. So at least it's not snowing.

Q. What was it like to play in that kind of weather?

ERIK SABROWSKI: It's early April and you're just excited to even be outside playing ball. Didn't really affect you too much -- or late October kind of thing and you're just, again, excited to even still be outside.

I'm sure you dealt with that when you were a kid in Atlanta, right?

HUNTER GADDIS: Yeah, it snowed once a year, maybe.

Q. One of the things that I think has captured people's attention is how the younger players on this roster have excelled on the biggest stage in the game. I would love if you could touch on the culture that's created, even in the player development system, that allows young players to not just be ready to come up and contribute, but to help win and that this is not a surprise to you guys.

HUNTER GADDIS: I think that's just been the whole motto. I was drafted into Cleveland, and the whole thing is, how are we going to get you better to help the big league team. It was never about, you know, just moving up to Double-A or Triple-A.

It was, how can we get you ready, if it's five years, if it's next year, to be ready to help win. And the whole thing was always to help win in the big leagues. I think it was just something I heard all the way through.

Once, when you get here, it's the same thing. It's how can we win today and don't worry about what happens next.

ERIK SABROWSKI: I think for me, on that same note, it's just the nucleus of guys in the pen that were here when I showed up -- Gaddi, Tim, Cade -- I forget anyone?

HUNTER GADDIS: Surely I don't know.

ERIK SABROWSKI: Well, Gaddi, Tim and Cade have been here the whole time I've been here. And just learning from them and hopefully absorbing some of the good processes that they have and trying to pass them on to the next guy.

In the end, if you're a young guy, just find Cade and do what he's doing and you'll be just fine.