Austin Hedges knows a division title only looks routine from a distance. Up close, it’s all sweat, survival and a lot of nights that don’t go according to plan.
That’s why Cleveland’s latest one meant something.
The Guardians wrapped up their fourth American League Central crown in five seasons and third in a row Saturday night, beating Kansas City 11-5 while Colorado later took care of the White Sox 9-6 in Chicago. The win locked Cleveland into the No. 2 seed in the American League and gave the club a first-round bye into next week’s Division Series.
For Hedges, that bye might be the real prize.
“It’s a series win,” Hedges said. “We’ve already won the wild card round.
It’s hard to get a first-round bye. It’s hard to win any round.
You’ve got to go face two, three nasty pitchers in the wild card round.”
Cleveland now waits to learn who will show up at Progressive Field for the ALDS. The possible opponents are the White Sox, Astros or Rangers, with the AL West race still hanging in the balance Sunday.
The road to this point was anything but smooth. José Ramírez missed more than a month with a fractured left hamate.
The Guardians were five games under .500 as late as Aug. 19 and had fallen as many as six games back in the division. Since Aug. 20, though, they’ve gone 24-10, matching Milwaukee for the best record in baseball over that stretch.
They’ve won nine of 10 since Sept. 15.
That kind of climb gave the celebration a different feel.
“I’m really proud of this group because, boy, it wasn’t easy,” Hedges told reporters afterward. “It never is.
And just being able to celebrate with this group, to earn that vibe. Knowing the division runs through Cleveland.
Feels good.”
Saturday’s clincher fit the season’s script perfectly. Tanner Bibee allowed three runs in the first inning, then settled in and blanked Kansas City over his next five innings.
Patrick Bailey wiped out the deficit with a two-run homer in the second and later added another blast in the ninth for his first career multi-homer game. Steven Kwan finished with three hits, including an RBI triple, while Chase DeLauter homered and Brayan Rocchio went deep twice.
It was Cleveland’s 10th victory this season after trailing by at least three runs.
That resilience has defined the Guardians, especially during Ramírez’s absence. Hedges put it plainly.
“We know we’ve got our Michael Jordan (Ramírez) and everyone else is just trying to do their part,” Hedges said. “And that’s what we did.”
Now the title is in hand, the bye is secure and the waiting begins. Cleveland is headed to the postseason for the eighth time in 11 seasons since 2016, and Stephen Vogt has become just the eighth manager in major league history to reach October in each of his first three seasons.
Hedges says the group is arriving at the right time in the right shape.
“I’m just proud we’ve got a good, healthy group going into the postseason,” he said. “All this is really fun, but now is when it really matters and now is when we get to have the most fun. And I cannot wait for that first playoff game in Cleveland, baby.”
And he’s not ready to call it finished.
“We’re not done,” he said. “Now we get to go play for what we’ve worked so hard for all year.”
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Austin Hedges let the emotion show after Cleveland wrapped up its third straight AL Central title, and it fit a player who has spent six seasons giving this clubhouse more than just innings behind the plate. The veteran catcher has long been valued for his defense and presence around the team, and this year he has added a .249 average with six home runs while remaining part of the fabric of a group that keeps finding ways to win.
The Guardians now turn the page to October, with the American League Division Series set to begin Oct. 3 at Progressive Field. For a team that has built its identity on continuity and buy-in, Hedges' reaction felt like a reminder of how much this run means to the players who have lived through it, even as the next round brings a fresh challenge and a much bigger stage. [Read more 🡒]
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Craig Yoho and Daniel Schneemann have emerged as the most obvious names in the conversation, a reminder that even after a season of getting this far, the postseason can still ask for a hard choice or two. The final call has not been made yet, and for a team trying to line up the right mix for a short series, the last cuts may matter more than they look on paper. [Read more 🡒]
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Messicks season line tells part of the story, with a 12-9 record and a 2.55 ERA underscoring how important he has become to the rotation. He is expected to start the regular season finale and then take on a key role in the American League Division Series, giving Guardians fans one more reason to feel good about where this team stands heading into October. [Read more 🡒]