BWDIK: Black, Brash, Clarke, Frye, Naylor, Pivetta, Smith
Right-hander Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) is 3-0 with three saves and a 0.00 ERA in seven appearances serving as the Cleveland Guardians’ closer since Aug. 1.
August 17, 2025
By Kevin Glew
Canadian Baseball Network
Some Canadian baseball news and notes from the past week:
Smith excelling as Guardians’ closer
When Cleveland Guardians All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase was placed on leave by Major League Baseball to investigate allegations of his involvement in sports betting on July 27, the Guardians were 52-53. They were sellers at the trade deadline, dealing former ace Shane Bieber to the Toronto Blue Jays and reliever Paul Sewald to the Detroit Tigers.
It seemed like they were waving the white flag on the season.
But hold on.
Since Clase’s suspension, the Guardians are 11-6. And a major reason for that is Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) who has assumed the closer’s role. Since the beginning of August, the 6-foot-5 right-hander is 3-0 with three saves and has not allowed a run in eight innings in seven appearances. And in the process, the Guardians have climbed back into the American League Wild Card race. Heading into today’s game, they sit just two-and-a-half games back of the New York Yankees for the final AL Wild Card spot.
Brash collects two saves for Mariners
Speaking of Canadians closing major league games, right-hander Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.) has picked up two saves in his last seven appearances for the Seattle Mariners. To be clear, Andres Munoz remains the Mariners’ closer, but Brash has proven to be a reliable late-inning option when Munoz is unavailable.
Brash recorded a save in the M’s 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on August 8 and another in an M’s 6-3 victory two days later. That gives the 27-year-old right-hander three saves this season, which is one shy of his career-high in 2023.
The Canuck righty has been outstanding with the M’s since returning on May 3 from Tommy John surgery. In 37 relief appearances, he owns a 1.39 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings.
Canada’s WBC bullpen
The success of Brash and Smith has me pondering just how good Canada’s bullpen could be at the World Baseball Classic in March.
Both Brash and Smith pitched for Canada at the event in 2023. So, barring injury, I think they’ll pitch for Canada again. Then if you add two Edmonton-born left-handers — Erik Sabrowski, who has a 1.06 ERA in 17 appearances for the Guardians this season and Rob Zastryzny, who owns a 2.03 ERA in 15 outings for the Milwaukee Brewers — that’s a darn good backend to the bullpen.
Two seasons ago, I would’ve added Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) into the conversation here, but he has struggled mightily with the Phillies in 2025 (7.24 ERA in 46 appearances). He has also said he would continue to pitch for Italy (as he did in the 2017 World Baseball Classic) to honour his father who was born there.
Pivetta records 12th win
Another week, another win for San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (Victoria, B.C.). On Wednesday, he limited the San Francisco Giants to one run on four hits, while striking out five, in 6 2/3 innings to pick up his 12th win of the season in the Padres’ 11-1 victory.
That win total is already a career-high for Pivetta with a month-and-a-half left in the season.
The 32-year-old right-hander ranks among the National League leaders in several pitching categories, including first in fewest hits per nine innings (6.2), second in winning percentage (.750), second in WHIP (0.948), tied for second in wins, sixth in WAR (4.2) and seventh in ERA (2.87).
The Junior National Team grad is in the first year of a backloaded, four-year, $55-million contract with the Padres. Overall, he is in his ninth major league season.
Julien goes deep on Skubal
When Minnesota Twins infielder Edouard Julien (Quebec City, Que.) belted a solo home run off Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in the third inning on Thursday, he became the first left-handed hitter to take Skubal deep this season.
Julien also had a single in that contest, which the Tigers won 4-3 in 11 innings.
It was Julien’s third big league home run of the season and his first since being recalled from triple-A St. Paul after the trade deadline.
The 26-year-old infielder cracked the Twins’ Opening Day roster but batted just .198 with two home runs in 29 games before being sent down.
Over the past two seasons, the ABC and Junior National Team grad has struggled to duplicate the success of rookie big league campaign in 2023 when he batted .263 with a .381 on-base percentage (OBP) with 16 home runs in 109 games.
Naylor finding power stroke with the Mariners
After showing off his wheels during his first two weeks with the Mariners after being acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the trade deadline (11 stolen bases in 19 games), Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) has belted three home runs in his past nine games.
He is also a key reason the Mariners have reeled off nine wins in their past 12 contests and are tied with the Boston Red Sox for the first American League Wild Card spot.
Naylor leads all Canadian major leaguers in 2025 in RBIs (69) and stolen bases (22).
The Ontario Blue Jays and Junior National Team alum was dealt to the Mariners on July 24 by the Diamondbacks. He is in his seventh major league season.
Most MLB RBIs by a player born in Canada in 2025
69 – Josh Naylor
67 – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.)
36 – Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.)
27 – Bo Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.)
26 – Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.)
23 – Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, B.C.)
9 – Edouard Julien
8 – Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.)
5 – Jared Young (Prince George, B.C.)
1 – Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.)
Clarke begins rehab assignment
Outfielder Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.), who has been sidelined with a right abductor strain since July 21, started his rehab assignment with the Athletics’ triple-A Las Vegas Aviators on Friday. He went 0-for-2 with a run scored in his first game back.
The 25-year-old Toronto Mets and Junior National Team grad, who dazzled with his defence in centre field with the A’s, batted .230 in 47 major league games prior to his injury.
Selected by the A’s in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB draft, Clarke is in his fifth pro season. He is one of two former Toronto Mets players to make their major league debuts this season, joining catcher Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) of the Miami Marlins.
Brewers recall Black
Speaking of Toronto Mets grads, infielder Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) was recalled from the triple-A Nashville Sounds by the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. This will be his second tenure with the Brewers this season.
Black went 0-for-1 with two walks in the Brewers’ 6-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday.
In total, in four games with the Brewers this season, he has gone 2-for-7 with a double, a run, an RBI and four walks.
It was a challenging start to the season for the 25-year-old Black. He fractured the hamate bone in his right hand in late March and was sidelined for more than six weeks.
He has spent the bulk of the season with triple-A Nashville, where he has batted .187 with a .308 on-base percentage with two home runs, 19 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 37 games.
He made his MLB debut with the Brewers last season. In 18 big league games in 2024, he went 10-for-49 with two doubles, three stolen bases and seven walks.
Chosen 33rd overall by the Brewers in the 2021 MLB draft, Black is in his fifth season in the Brewers’ organization.
Frye hit for the cycle for Jays 24 years ago today
Twenty-four years ago, Jeff Frye became the second Blue Jays player to hit for the cycle.
His performance helped the Blue Jays to an 11-3 win over the Texas Rangers at SkyDome.
Watch him complete the feat here:
Happy Birthday to Dick Lines!
Happy 87th Birthday to former big league pitcher Dick Lines! Born in Montreal, Que., the Canadian southpaw was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1957. He was a starting pitcher in the Pirates’ system for seven seasons until he was converted into a reliever in 1964. On April 5, 1965, he was sold to the Washington Senators. He made his big league debut with the Sens on April 16, 1966 and proceeded to become a reliable reliever with them, recording a 2.28 ERA in 53 games. He followed that up by registering a 3.36 ERA in 54 contests the ensuing season before returning to the minors. He retired from baseball after the 1969 campaign and settled in The Villages in Central Florida.
Fun Fact of the Week
Inspired by Alejandro Kirk‘s first major league stolen base on Friday, here’s a list of the catchers with the most stolen bases in Blue Jays’ history:
22 – Ernie Whitt
7 – Russell Martin
6- Pat Borders
4 – Gregg Zaun
4 – Luke Maile
3 – Dioner Navarro
2 – J.P. Arencibia
2 – Buck Martinez
2 – Tyler Heineman
1 – Alejandro Kirk (tied with 8 others)