Stephen Vogt addresses the Cleveland Guardians after clinching a spot in the 2025 MLB Playoffs.

The Cleveland Guardians have officially punched their ticket to the 2025 MLB Playoffs with their 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday evening.

Shortly after CJ Kayfus was hit by a pitch, scoring in Petey Halpin, the winning run, the Guardians were popping champagne bottles in the clubhouse to celebrate their improbable comeback in the postseason race.

Before the Guardians started their party, manager Stephen Vogt addressed the team with an inspiring speech reflecting on where the team was and what they’ve gone through to get to this moment of pure bliss. 

Here’s what Cleveland’s skipper said to his team shortly after they officially clinched their spot in the playoffs.

“Let me tell you guys something. Everything that you’ve been through, everything that we had to go through together, think about that, to get to this point, and we ain’t anywhere near frickin done. I couldn’t be more proud of every single person in this room for continuing to believe, continuing to frickin work, continuing to frickin win. Let’s keep it frickin going!”

Vogt’s emotional speech hits hard when you think back about what the 2025 Guardians have gone through.

They lost a member of their starting rotation to Tommy John surgery shortly after the season started, two of their pitchers are currently on non-disciplinary paid leave amid an MLB investigation, and there were rumors about the team blowing up their core at the trade deadline.

Even with all of that going on outside of the clubhouse, the Guardians found a way to focus on what they had in front of them, which was to go out and win as many games as they could.

A lot can also be said for the leader Vogt has been this season. Clearly, this team has rallied around his message and believes in what he’s preaching.

There was already a strong case for Stephen Vogt to be the American League Manager of the Year for a second consecutive season, but now his resume got even stronger with the Guardians officially claiming their spot in the postseason. 

While the Guardians' punching their ticket is a massive accomplishment in its own right, with many writing the team off before the season started, and certainly in the middle of the year, the job isn’t finished, and Vogt made sure to emphasize that.

Cleveland will celebrate on Saturday night, deservedly so, but then it's back to business on Sunday as the Guardians try to lock down the American League Central, too.