The Cleveland Guardians were staring at disaster only a few days ago. Now they’re one win from the ALCS, with Game 5 against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday deciding everything and the Tampa Bay Rays waiting in the wings for Game 1.
What changed? The bats finally showed up.
Cleveland was on the verge of being swept before erupting for nine runs in both Game 3 and Game 4, a jolt of offense this club has been missing in recent postseasons. And one deadline pickup has been right in the middle of it: Jo Adell.
MLB Network highlighted Adell’s work over the last two games, noting that he has a .500 on-base percentage and five RBIs. Mark DeRosa took it a step further and praised the move to bring him in, calling him a “perfect addition.”
“He was the perfect addition for the Guardians,” said DeRosa.
Jo Adell in the @CleGuardians ' Game 3 & 4 wins 💪
.375 AVG (3-8 AB)
.500 OBP
3B
5 RBI
2 BB
“He was the perfect addition for the Guardians…” - DeRo pic.twitter.com/4EJNvNYxjK
- MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 9, 2026
DeRosa’s point is hard to miss. Cleveland has spent years hearing calls to get more aggressive, and Adell has given this lineup the kind of impact bat it needed.
Angel Martinez led the Guardians with 18 home runs this season. Adell had 23, and he launched 37 during a breakout 2025 season with the Los Angeles Angels. On top of that, Rhys Hoskins and David Fry were the only right-handed hitters who finished with more home runs than Adell’s seven in Cleveland this year.
The biggest swing so far came in Game 3, when Adell ripped a three-run triple to put Cleveland in front. That was the hit that cracked this series open. The offense had been flat until then, and now the Guardians will find out on Saturday whether Adell has one more big moment in him to push them into a matchup with the Rays.
In Other News...
Guardians Face A Costly ALDS Dilemma Beyond Just The Rotation
The Guardians ALDS picture has plenty of moving parts, and the biggest ones are not limited to who starts which game. As the series has unfolded, the club has had to think through roster balance, how much pitching it wants to carry, and how the front office and players are viewing the broader landscape around MLBPA contract talks. It is the kind of October problem that goes beyond a single matchup and forces a team to weigh short-term survival against longer-term flexibility.
Gavin Williams added another layer to that conversation with a new role in Game 4, since his first big league relief outing also marked his first time pitching out of the bullpen since college. Cleveland is trying to manage the present while leaving enough options open for what comes next, including the possibility of deeper October decisions if the run continues. And with future labor questions looming in the background, the Guardians are dealing with more than just the usual postseason chess match. [Read more 🡒]
Jose Ramirez May Have Just Saved Cleveland At The Perfect Time
Jose Ramirez has spent much of the season searching for the version of himself Cleveland has leaned on for years, and in Game 4 of the ALDS he finally gave the Guardians a reminder of why he matters so much in October. After working through pain since hamate bone surgery and enduring a difficult offensive stretch, Ramirez kept showing signs of life across the first two playoff games and then added another jolt in a 9-5 win over the White Sox.
The biggest swing came in the fifth inning, when his two-run homer flipped the game and helped Cleveland protect its season for at least one more night. With the series now headed to a decisive Game 5 at Progressive Field, the Guardians suddenly have reason to believe Ramirez may be heating up at exactly the right time, and that changes the feel of everything around them. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Face A Bullpen Problem In Their Biggest Game Yet
Cade Smiths rough ninth inning in Game 4 gave Cleveland a moment of unease at exactly the wrong time, even if Gavin Williams stepped in to close out the 9-5 win over the Chicago White Sox and send the series to a winner-take-all Game 5. The Guardians have leaned hard on their pitching staff throughout the matchup, and Smith did not hide his frustration after not getting through the inning, though he said he is still ready if called upon again.
Gavin Williams role only underscores how thin the margin has become for Cleveland. He was needed in relief to finish Game 4, and now he is lined up to start Game 5 in less than 48 hours, a reminder of how much the Guardians have asked of their arms just to reach this point. For a team playing its biggest game yet, that kind of workload can turn every inning into a test of depth as much as execution. [Read more 🡒]