The Guardians head into Game 2 of the American League Division Series later today needing a cleaner effort across the board after a flat opener against the White Sox. One game is a tiny sample, especially in October, but Cleveland’s lineup left plenty of empty boxes in Game 1, and there’s no hiding from that heading back to Progressive Field.
If the Guardians are going to even the series, they need more from the middle of the order, some stability on the mound if the game gets messy early, and a much better night from José Ramírez.
Jo Adell is the clearest place to start. The deadline pickup was supposed to give Cleveland a real thump in the heart of the lineup, but his postseason debut went sideways fast.
He finished 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in the White Sox win, and afterward he said he was “ put in a blender ” after Game 1. That’s not the kind of first impression the Guardians were hoping for, especially after adding him to be a difference-maker.
The matchup later today gives him a chance to reset against White Sox left-hander Anthony Kay. Adell has generally done damage against lefties, and his numbers with Cleveland backed that up: a 1.103 OPS in 52 at-bats against left-handed pitching compared with a .588 OPS in 127 at-bats against right-handed pitching.
He also struggled in the regular season against Chicago, hitting .538 in 12 games against the White Sox and going 1-for-7 against Kay, but the postseason has a way of wiping the slate clean. This is his chance to show the Guardians why they brought him in.
Cleveland may also need to reach into its pitching depth earlier than it wants. Tanner Bibee and Foster Griffin didn’t appear in Game 1, but either one could be called on if Gavin Williams runs into trouble before the Guardians get where they want to go.
Williams is coming off a regular season in which he set a new career-high with 184 1/3 innings, but postseason games rarely come with much patience. Guardians manager Stepehn Vogt already had to go to Daniel Espino in the fifth inning after Parker Messick got into trouble, and another quick hook wouldn’t be a shock today.
If Bibee or Griffin gets the call, the value is straightforward: soak up innings and keep Vogt from burning through the shutdown relievers too early. Cleveland would still be able to start Wiliams and Messick on normal rest in two of the final three games, which is why the club doesn’t have room for both Bibee and Griffin in the rotation.
The Guardians haven’t announced their Game 3 pitching plan, so both names stay in play for now. Whoever gets the ball, the assignment is the same - answer when the moment comes.
And then there’s Ramírez, who needs to be much more than he was in the opener. His production this season was easy to overlook because other bats around him carried more of the load, but Game 1 put his line front and center: an 0-for-1 night with a strikeout and a walk.
The hamate injury he suffered earlier this year still seems to be limiting him, and while he’s been able to help with contact and his legs, neither showed up against the White Sox. He did contribute defensively, but Cleveland needs more than that from one of its most important hitters.
The Guardians hit him second in the order ahead of Chase DeLauter in Game 1, and when Ramírez couldn’t get going, DeLauter didn’t see many chances with runners on base. That’s the ripple effect Cleveland has to avoid if it wants to extend the series.
In Other News...
Guardians Send Clear Message With Urgent Game 2 Lineup Shakeup
The Guardians came into Game 2 against the White Sox with a noticeably different look, making several lineup adjustments that suggested urgency after the opener. Patrick Bailey was behind the plate and Nathaniel Lowe handled first base, while Chase DeLauter and Jo Adell were shifted into different defensive spots as Cleveland also rearranged the batting order.
Chicago answered with changes of its own, inserting Andrew Benintendi, Sam Antonacci and Tristan Peters while moving Kyle Teel up to the No. 2 spot. With both clubs altering the mix on the fly, the second game had the feel of a quick reset, with Cleveland clearly trying to spark something early and keep the series from settling into one team's preferred rhythm. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Have A Real First Base Problem
Clevelands run to a third straight AL Central title came with plenty of familiar caveats, but first base has emerged as one of the clearest offseason questions on the roster. Kyle Manzardo looked like part of the answer after his breakout in 2025, only to stumble offensively in 2026 and wind up back in Triple-A. The Guardians responded at the trade deadline by adding Nathaniel Lowe and Jo Adell, a sign they were willing to patch the spot quickly rather than wait for the bats to come around.
Now the bigger issue is what comes next. Manzardos future in Cleveland is uncertain, and prospect Ralphy Velazquez is expected to take over first base, which puts the organization in a position it likely did not expect when the season started. The Guardians have survived roster uncertainty before, but this one has the feel of a move that could reshape how they handle the position for the long haul. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Need Someone Else To Deliver Their Big October Moment
The Guardians had plenty of pitching in place for a familiar playoff script, but the first game of the ALDS turned on the kind of offensive drought that can make even a solid performance feel hollow. Chicagos 3-0 win was driven by Munetaka Murakamis two-run homer, while Cleveland spent the night trying to solve a parade of White Sox arms, including Anthony Kay and Sean Burke, and never found the timely hit it needed.
Clevelands players pointed to the challenge of facing multiple starters in one game, even as they leaned on the comfort of having seen this Chicago pitching staff during the regular season. The bigger issue is less about recognition than execution, because the Guardians now need someone beyond the mound work to supply the defining October swing if they want this series to tilt back their way. [Read more 🡒]