The Cleveland Guardians' season looked over, but they kept their heads up and are on the precipice of making MLB history.
The Cleveland Guardians have faced adversity at every turn this season.
Let’s quickly recap what the team has been through, going back to Opening Day.
Early in the year, they lost a member of their rotation to Tommy John surgery. They played .500 baseball for the majority of the summer, then went on a 10-game losing streak, only to have two of their pitchers placed on administrative leave amid a gambling investigation shortly after.
After getting back on track, the team went on another 10-game stretch, during which they lost nine games.
Not to mention, there were plenty of rumors surrounding who the team could trade away leading up to the deadline, including Steven Kwan.
Despite all of this, the Guardians control their own destiny heading into the final week of the season. They don’t just have a chance to make the playoffs, but Cleveland is also in a position to win the American League Central after trailing by 15.5 games.
How has the team been able to stay alive in the playoff picture?
That’s the question that everybody around baseball wants to know the answer to, and manager Stephen Vogt may have an explanation: consistency.
May 3, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Daniel Schneemann (10) celebrates the win with the designated hitter Kyle Manzardo (9) against the Toronto Blue Jays at the end of the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images.“They did a great job of showing up every day ready to win despite what got thrown at them, what we went through,” said Vogt ahead of Tuesday’s pivotal matchup against the Detroit Tigers.
“I couldn’t be more proud of that group of players and coaches for keeping the energy. We had every reason in the world to just turn our heads down and just finish the season and not one person in that room allowed that to happen.”
Even through all of the low moments in the season, Cleveland’s skipper said, “Our goal remained the same and it will continue. That’s show up today, work hard, and win. And that continues to be message no matter what our record is.”
In the moment, the Guardians could have used this misfortune and hardship as an excuse to give up and yield on the season, but they used it as a rallying cry.
If Cleveland can actually pull off a historic division comeback, this team will have plenty of momentum heading into the postseason.
Just a few weeks ago, October baseball felt like a fever dream, but now it’s a reality.
