The Cleveland Guardians have made a habit of showing up in October, and one analyst thinks this version of the club could do more than simply keep the streak alive.
Spencer German pointed to the way Cleveland has built itself as the reason the Guardians keep hanging around the postseason picture. They draft well, make smart trades and have found value in the amateur free agent market, all while operating near the bottom of the league in total payroll. That formula has carried them into October three straight years and four times in the last five.
German didn’t stop there. He said the Guardians might have a real shot to come out of an American League field he sees as open.
"That is pretty remarkable when you think about it…however long this goes, I know Guardians fans are going to enjoy it. This field in the A.L. leaves a lot to be desired…I would not be surprised if they’re the team that comes out of it."
"That is pretty remarkable when you think about it…however long this goes, I know Guardians fans are going to enjoy it. This field in the A.L. leaves a lot to be desired…I would not be surprised if they're the team that comes out of it."
That belief ties directly to where Cleveland stands in the AL Central. The Guardians have a strong chance to win the division for a third straight season, and that matters. Taking the division would send them straight into the best-of-five Division Series instead of forcing them through the best-of-three Wild Card round, where one bad series can end everything before it really starts.
German also went a step further, saying he wouldn’t be shocked if Cleveland represented the American League in the World Series. It’s not just talk, either. If the Guardians win the AL Central, they need only one series win to reach the AL Championship Series.
There’s also some timing on Cleveland’s side. The offense is heating up, the pitching staff is holding up its end, and Parker Messick at the top of the rotation along with Cade Smith finishing games gives the Guardians a setup plenty of teams would love to have. Add a little luck, and the ingredients are there for a run that could go well beyond simply making the playoffs.
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Guardians Final Roster Move Just Clarified A Key Postseason Battle
The Guardians have started to sort out their postseason pitching picture, and the latest move points to how they want to cover the middle innings if games get hectic. Austin Peterson was added to the pitching staff for the playoffs, giving Cleveland another bulk relief option after he handled that role behind starter Parker Messick in the season finale.
The corresponding roster change came with Craig Yoho coming off the postseason roster, a shift that underscores how fluid the back end of October pitching plans can be. Clevelands current setup appears to center on Parker Messick and Gavin Williams in the rotation, with Daniel Espino and Joey Cantillo lined up to bridge the game behind them, while Tanner Bibee and Foster Griffin remain possibilities to work out of the bullpen. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Playoff Path Is Set And One ALDS Question Looms
The postseason picture is now clear, and Cleveland has landed in a favorable spot as the No. 2 seed in the American League with a first-round bye. Instead of jumping straight into the Wild Card round, the Guardians can wait and see which club emerges from the Houston Astros-Chicago White Sox series before opening their AL Division Series on Oct. 3.
For Cleveland, the setup offers both rest and a little uncertainty, since the next opponent will be determined by a series that could play out a few different ways. The broader October schedule is already in place from the Wild Card Series through the World Series, but the immediate focus for the Guardians is on preparing for either Houstons experience or Chicagos path as they get ready for the first real test of their playoff run. [Read more 🡒]
A Tragic Indians Game Still Carries One Haunting Irony
Griffith Stadium was the setting for a grim moment on Sept. 29, 1943, when a game between the Cleveland Indians and Washington Senators was interrupted by tragedy in the stands. A wild throw sent a ball sailing into the crowd and struck fan Clarence Stagemyer in the head, leaving him with a concussion and a fractured skull.
Stagemyer died the following day, and the incident is believed to be the first case of a fan dying as a direct result of a ball-related injury at a Major League Baseball game. For a game that would otherwise have faded into the long blur of wartime baseball, the memory lingers because of the terrible irony at its center. [Read more 🡒]