Austin Hedges didn’t try to hide what Monday night meant to him.
A few moments after the Tampa Bay Rays knocked out Cleveland with a 7-3 win in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, the Guardians catcher was in the visiting clubhouse at Tropicana Field, staring down the possibility that he had just played his final game in a Cleveland uniform. Hedges is headed for free agency this offseason, and the end of the season brought that reality into sharp focus.
In an emotional moment shared by Mason Horodyski of WEWS, Hedges put his feelings plainly on the table.
“I hope this isn’t the last time I put a Cleveland jersey on,” Hedges said.
"I hope this isn't the last time I put a Cleveland jersey on. I love it here."
An emotional Austin Hedges inside Cleveland's clubhouse after the #Guardians loss in Game 6 of the ALCS #GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/AJQiYBiRB3
- Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) October 20, 2026
Hedges said he loves Cleveland, but also acknowledged that he is a free agent and that he would deal with the next step later. Right then, he was still working through the season’s ending.
That attachment to the city has been building for years. Cleveland got Hedges from San Diego during the 2020 season, and he spent parts of three years with the team before moving on to Pittsburgh and Texas in 2023.
He picked up a World Series ring with the Rangers that fall, then came back to Cleveland in 2024. Since returning, he has kept signing one-year deals to remain with the Guardians, and when he re-signed for this season, he made it clear he wanted to finish his career there.
The results have backed up that loyalty. Hedges has been on four AL Central championship teams in Cleveland, including this year’s squad, and has made five postseason trips with the organization. After the Guardians wrapped up the division in Kansas City last month, he told the cameras that he loves Cleveland with all his heart.
Now the question is whether Cleveland brings him back. Hedges will turn 35 next summer, and the Guardians will have to sort out their catching depth. But one thing is not in doubt: he wants to stay.
And after everything he has meant to the organization, plenty of Guardians fans want the same thing.
In Other News...
Guardians Turn To An Unexpected Arm In Must Win Game 6
With their backs against the wall in Game 6, the Guardians are making a less conventional call on the mound by turning to right-hander Shawn Armstrong as the opener. It is the kind of move that speaks to the urgency of the moment, especially with the series slipping and Cleveland looking for any edge it can find against a Rays club that has been getting strong pitching at the right time.
Tampa Bay brings plenty of confidence into the matchup after Drew Rasmussen followed up with another dominant postseason showing in Game 5, while Freddy Peralta is lined up to get the ball for Game 6 after settling in quickly since arriving. Cleveland, meanwhile, is still trying to rebound from Parker Messick's rough recent start, and the Guardians' choice to hand the first inning to Armstrong only adds another layer of intrigue to a game they simply cannot afford to waste. [Read more 🡒]
Parker Messick Sent A Defiant Message Guardians Fans Will Love
Parker Messicks two innings in Game 5 were only a small part of a night that left the Guardians in a tough spot, as the Rays pulled out a 3-1 win and moved within one victory of the World Series. Even so, the young pitcher did not sound rattled after the loss, and his postgame message carried the kind of edge Cleveland fans tend to appreciate when the season is hanging in the balance.
The Guardians now head to Tropicana Field needing to win both remaining games to keep their postseason run alive, a steep ask against a Rays club that has already taken control of the series. Messicks confidence after his early exit offered a reminder that the mood inside the clubhouse is still pointed toward a comeback, even with the margin for error gone. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Took A Risk With Parker Messick In The Worst Spot
The Guardians made a notable change behind the plate in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, pairing Parker Messick with Patrick Bailey instead of Austin Hedges for the first time. It was the kind of move that spoke to the moment as much as the matchup, with manager Stephen Vogt leaning on Baileys strong bat while accepting the possibility that it could alter the rhythm Messick had built with his usual catcher.
It proved to be a tough night for the rookie. Messick got through only two innings and allowed two runs, and Cleveland never quite recovered in a 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. In a postseason game where every small edge matters, the Guardians took a calculated swing on catching alignment, and the result only sharpened the question of whether the risk was worth it in the biggest spot. [Read more 🡒]