The Cleveland Guardians have given themselves a fighting chance again, and the latest stretch has been enough to earn them a B-minus from Bleacher Report with one month left in the season.
That grade comes after a surge that kept Cleveland from sliding out of the postseason picture. The Guardians ripped off seven straight wins and took advantage of a soft run in the schedule, winning eight of nine against some of the worst teams in the majors. They beat the San Francisco Giants in two of three before sweeping a six-game road trip against the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels.
Even with a disappointing shutout loss to the Kansas City Royals on Friday to open a 10-game homestand, the Guardians still sit two games ahead in the AL Wild Card race. They’re also within reach of the first-place Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.
“Things were looking bleak two weeks ago, but the Guardians made the most of their nine consecutive games against the Giants, Rockies and Angels, vaulting back into sole possession of the AL’s final wild card spot. We shall see if it’s the beginning of one of their patented strong finishes or just a blip where they happened to find some offense for a change against bad teams,” Kerry Miller wrote.
It hasn’t been a smooth month by any stretch. Cleveland entered the All-Star break tied for first with the White Sox, then stumbled to a 9-19 record and dropped to fourth in the division while slipping toward the bottom of the crowded wild-card chase.
Still, the Guardians have shown they can dig out of trouble. Last September, they rallied from 11 games back to win the AL Central. This time, the climb is less severe: they’re 3.5 games behind Chicago with 27 games left.
If the offense can keep producing after a stretch that produced 41 runs, Cleveland has a path to making noise. That would pair with a durable starting rotation led by Gavin Williams and Parker Messick. Trade deadline addition Foster Griffin has also won his past three decisions and is set to start against the Royals on Saturday.
The next big checkpoint is coming fast. Cleveland will host Chicago for a three-game series at Progressive Field from Sept. 14-16, and that matchup could go a long way toward deciding which team holds the upper hand in the division over the final two weeks.
In Other News...
Guardians Prospect Saga Took A Shocking Turn Before He Ever Signed
The Guardians thought they had lined up a promising addition when they reached a $2.8 million deal with a switch-hitting infielder known as David Severino, a player they had tracked as part of their international pipeline. Instead, an MLB investigation blew up the agreement before it ever became official, uncovering that the prospect had used fake documents and a fabricated gravesite to support a false identity and age.
What makes the situation especially jarring for Cleveland is that the club is not facing discipline, even as the player has been suspended for the fraud. Severino, whose real name is Daury David Severino Damaso, is now expected to sign for a much smaller bonus, leaving the Guardians to move on from a saga that never even reached the point of a signature. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Legal Crisis Just Raised A Bigger Question For Emmanuel Clase
The legal clock keeps moving for Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, and the latest ruling in Brooklyn did little to change the basic shape of the case. A federal judge denied the pitchers requests for separate trials in their November proceedings tied to an alleged pitch-rigging scheme, while also turning aside the governments bid to remove Clases attorney from the matter. Both pitchers have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, leaving the Guardians facing another off-field storyline that is now officially headed toward trial.
For Cleveland, the immediate issue is less about courtroom maneuvering than about what this means for Clases future and the teams ability to plan around him. The case is scheduled to begin on November 2, and with the judge keeping the players joined together, the proceedings will unfold under a spotlight that could shape not only the next few weeks but the larger question hanging over one of the clubs most prominent pitchers. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Playoff Push Suddenly Has A New X Factor
The Guardians came home from an undefeated road trip with one month left before the postseason, and the timing only sharpened the sense that their push has a little more substance than a hot streak. Steven Kwan and Chase DeLauter have helped keep the lineup on base in August, while Parker Messick has settled in as a reliable starter with a 2.54 ERA over 33 starts, giving Cleveland a rotation piece it can actually lean on as the games start to matter more.
Even more important, the bullpen has been carrying real weight. Since August 10, it has posted a 1.52 ERA and sat near the top of several pitching categories, the kind of run that can change the entire shape of a stretch drive. For a club trying to hold momentum into September, that relief work may end up being the difference between simply hanging around and turning this into a legitimate playoff push. [Read more 🡒]