The Cleveland Guardians are currently one game ahead of the Chicago White Sox for first place in the American League Central standings. The Guardians announced two roster moves ahead of their game against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night. Right-handed pitcher Shawn Armstrong was activated from the 60-day injured list while right-handed pitcher Connor Brogdon was designated for assignment.

The Guardians-White Sox AL Central race has remained competitive, and adding a veteran reliever like Armstrong to the bullpen could give Cleveland a boost. The 36-year-old right-hander turned in a stellar 2.31 ERA across 71 appearances with the Texas Rangers a season ago. Armstrong's ERA is just 4.91 across 38 appearances this season with the Guards, but he's still a veteran who can certainly make an impact moving forward.

Article Continues Below

The Guardians' bullpen will need to perform well over the next week and in the postseason — assuming they reach the playoffs — in order to make a deep run. Cleveland's offense has been rather inconsistent. While the starting pitching is strong, this is not a team that often builds massive leads due to its lack of overall scoring. Being able to hold leads in tightly contested contests will be of the utmost importance.

Cleveland is set to play the Red Sox in Boston on Wednesday night after defeating the Sox 3-2 on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the White Sox will play the Royals in Kansas City at 7:40 PM ET. The Guardians are looking to win their seventh consecutive game as they continue to build momentum before the MLB postseason.