Stephen Vogt wasn’t about to let one loss rewrite the picture.
Even after the Guardians fell to the White Sox on Monday night, the manager still treated this week’s three-game set like what it is: a massive opportunity with first place in the AL Central on the line.
“This is a huge series,” said Vogt. “It’s our last chance to catch the team we’re chasing.
“It was awesome to have the fans into it and that was a playoff atmosphere Monday night. It was good for our young players to experience that.”
Progressive Field was rocking for the opener, with 24,348 fans on hand and loud support behind the Guardians despite the 7-3 defeat. The atmosphere matched the moment, and Vogt made clear he felt it.
The loss also didn’t change his view of Chicago. Cleveland has spent much of the season trying to keep pace, trading first place back and forth through the first four months before the White Sox moved ahead on July 3. Since then, the Guardians have been chasing.
Monday’s result pushed the White Sox’s lead to 1½ games, but Vogt’s read on them has been consistent from the start.
“The first time we played the White Sox we knew they were for real,” said Vogt. “They were very, very good.
“You can look at a team on paper, and you can predict what they’re going to be and you’re going to be wrong more often than not because it comes down to going out and getting it done, and they’ve been doing it all year and doing it consistently.”
Chicago has also owned the head-to-head matchup, going 7-4 against Cleveland and winning its first season series against Vogt’s club since 2023.
“Right from the first time we played them, we knew they weren’t going anywhere,” said Vogt.
Beyond the standings fight, the Guardians also had a few other developments to track. The club is sending right-handers Aaron Davenport, Magnus Ellerts, Aidan Major, Cam Schuelke and Kyle Scott to the Arizona Fall League, where they’ll be joined by infielders Welbyn Francisca, Luke Hill and Tyresse Turner on the Surprise Saguaros.
The Mets, Phillies and Rangers will also have players on that roster, and the AFL opens Oct. 3.
On the injury front, right-hander Colin Holderman threw a bullpen session Monday as he continues to work back from a right wrist issue. He said the session went well.
“Everything felt crisp,” said Holderman.
Rhys Hoskins, dealing with a back issue, took batting practice on the field with the rest of the Guardians and was driving line drives. Shawn Armstrong, out with a left calf injury, was scheduled for a rehab outing Tuesday night for Triple-A Columbus.
That leaves the same basic question hanging over all three: will they be ready to return before the season ends Sept. 27?
There were a few more notes around the edges. Travis Bazzana’s seventh-inning double Monday gave him 20 doubles on the season, making him the third Cleveland rookie in franchise history with at least 20 doubles, 10 homers and 15 steals. Oscar Mercado in 2019 and Von Hayes in 1982 are the others.
Jace LaViolette, the Guardians’ No. 1 pick in 2025, was on the field before Tuesday’s game with other minor leaguers, working alongside Field Coordinator John McDonald. LaViolette hit .225 with 99 hits in 440 at-bats, plus 27 homers, 89 RBI and a .791 OPS between Class A Lake County and Double-A Akron. He also struck out 195 times and walked 62.
David Fry’s two-run homer in the ninth inning Monday snapped a homerless stretch of 51 plate appearances.
And before Tuesday night’s game, the White Sox added left-hander Noah Schultz to their 27-man roster and designated Jose Urquidy for assignment to clear a spot. Schultz was at Triple-A Charlotte and could be used as the opener Wednesday, though Chicago had not announced a starter for that game.
In Other News...
Guardians Suddenly Face A Much Bigger Problem Than Chicagos Lefty Openers
The White Sox have been trying to throw Cleveland off balance with left-handed openers, a clear attempt to blunt a Guardians lineup that leans heavily left at the top. It is the kind of tactical wrinkle that can matter in a short series or a late-season stretch, especially for a team trying to keep its offense from getting boxed into uncomfortable matchups.
Angel Martnez leaving Mondays game with right flank inflammation, though, is a far bigger concern than any Chicago pitching game plan. Clevelands home run leader has been one of the key pieces holding the offense together, and any extended absence could ripple through a playoff push that is already sensitive to every lineup decision. The Guardians may have to look at roster adjustments depending on how serious the injury proves to be. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Let One Brutal At-Bat Flip The AL Central Race
The AL Central race tightened in a hurry at Progressive Field, where the White Sox beat the Guardians 7-3 and moved into a 1 1/2-game lead with 11 games left. Chicagos sixth inning changed everything, and it began with a grinding plate appearance from center fielder Tristan Peters that stretched to 18 pitches before the inning finally broke open.
For Cleveland, it was the kind of night where one long battle seemed to drain the edge right out of the game. Gavin Williams worked five innings and allowed two runs, but he also had to labor through a season-high 113 pitches, and the Guardians never fully recovered after Chicagos six-run burst put the pressure back on their side in the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Face A Chase DeLauter Concern They Didn't Need
Chase DeLauters return has already been interrupted more than once, and the latest hiccup is another reminder of how fragile his availability has been lately. The Guardians outfielder sat out against the Chicago White Sox because of recurring wrist soreness, a concerning development after he had battled back from a wrist injury in early September and a rib fracture in June before getting back on the field.
For Cleveland, the timing is hardly ideal as it tries to keep moving forward with a young player whose upside is easy to see but whose body has not given him much uninterrupted time. The team has not announced any additional tests or treatment plans, and DeLauter is considered day-to-day for now, leaving the Guardians to wait and hope this is only a brief pause rather than another longer detour. [Read more 🡒]