Former D-backs closer Paul Sewald signs with Guardians
Jan 22, 2025, 1:30 PM

Paul Sewald #38 of the Arizona Diamondbacks jumps into the outfield pool after the Diamondbacks defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers Game Three of the Division Series at Chase Field on October 11, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Relief pitcher Paul Sewald is headed to the Cleveland Guardians after his role as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ closer came to an unceremonious end this past season.
Sewald agreed to a one-year deal with a 2026 mutual option to join Cleveland’s bullpen, the club announced on Wednesday. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported the 34-year-old will make $7 million in 2025.
The D-backs will move on with a bullpen otherwise largely intact from last year, and the club remains in the market to add depth.
Sewald’s Diamondbacks tenure had its ups and downs, but he was undoubtedly a critical piece of their 2023 World Series team. In total, he pitched 62 games for the D-backs since the 2023 trade deadline and worked a 4.08 ERA and 29 saves.
Paul Sewald helped D-backs win NL pennant
The D-backs needed a closer desperately at the 2023 trade deadline after their committee approach had failed to garner consistent results. Arizona added Sewald from the Seattle Mariners for infielder Josh Rojas, outfielder Dominic Canzone and infield prospect Ryan Bliss.
Sewald didn’t hit the ground running per se but stabilized the bullpen by allowing relievers to fall into set roles built backward from the ninth inning. He stepped up with a 2.25 ERA and six saves in September before a tremendous run to the World Series.
In the postseason, Sewald pitched eight shutout innings with 11 strikeouts and earned six saves before the Fall Classic, getting the job done in Games 6 and 7 of the NLCS in raucous Philadelphia.
Paul Sewald, Nasty Sweepers. 🍾 pic.twitter.com/SKrRWEPYVd
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 5, 2023
The Arizona bullpen was a notable strength during the pennant run, although that level of dominance did not hold up against the Texas Rangers. The Rangers got the better of Sewald twice in a five-game World Series win, as Corey Seager famously hit the tying homer in the ninth inning during Game 1 in Arlington.
How Paul Sewald lost the closer role
Sewald suffered an oblique strain last spring training, which delayed the start to his season until May. The results were there early, as he started off 11-for-11 in save opportunities with a 0.54 ERA through the end of June. A nightmarish July with four blown saves and a 10.80 ERA resulted in a role change, as the D-backs went back to their closer-by-committee formula for the rest of the season.
Sewald struggled to regain his mechanics from a year prior, which impacted his game. Too many pitches that missed the top bar of the strike zone were vulnerable to getting crushed and were. He also lost a tick on his fastball from 92.2 mph in 2023 to 91.4 mph in 2024.
Arizona’s brass held out hope the veteran would return to the ninth inning, and while he was better in lower leverage innings, he never earned the closer spot back. Ultimately, Sewald landed on the injured list with a neck issue, and he did not pitch again after Sept. 8. He finished the year with a 4.31 ERA, substandard for an expected closer.
His 29 saves with the club rank 12 in franchise history, one ahead of Archie Bradley and three behind Brad Boxberger.
Off the field, Sewald was a trusted veteran leader in the D-backs’ clubhouse, someone manager Torey Lovullo could turn to. He was Arizona’s Roberto Clemente award nominee for his Sewald’s Strikeouts 4 Kids initiative to benefit Child Crisis Arizona.
He joins a Guardians club that won the American League Central last season and reached the ALCS before losing to the New York Yankees.
Cleveland has its closer, arguably the best in the game in Emmanuel Clase, who won AL Reliever of the Year in 2024. So, Sewald will fill a different role for manager Stephen Vogt.
Which relievers are still free agents?
Relievers have started to fly off the board in the past week, notably with the Los Angeles Dodgers signing Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates.
But there is still a group of experienced relievers and closers available, including Kenley Jansen, David Robertson and Carlos Estevez.