Stephen Vogt isn’t wringing his hands after the Guardians dropped Game 2. He’s looking at the bigger picture, and the view is still pretty encouraging.
Cleveland heads back home tied 1-1 in the AL Championship Series after a 3-1 loss Tuesday night in Tropicana Field, and Vogt said the group feels in good shape heading into Game 3 at Progressive Field.
“We feel great,” the two-time reigning AL Manager of the Year told the media after Tuesday's 3-1 loss in Tropicana Field. “Obviously, we would've loved to have taken tonight.
That would have been really big, and we had our opportunities to do that, but going home 1-1 to have three games in front of our fans in Cleveland, we feel really good about that. And we're excited to get it going.”
That confidence has some backing. The Guardians played better away from home this season, and their American League Division Series comeback against the Chicago White Sox only reinforced that feel.
Even with a 41-40 record at Progressive Field in the regular season, Cleveland has already shown it can feed off its own building when the moment spikes. The do-or-die Game 5 win over Chicago was a prime example, with a loud, relentless crowd helping push Gavin Williams and the Guardians through.
"Going home 1-1, to go have three games in front of our fans in Cleveland we feel really good about that."
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 14, 2026
Guardians' manager Stephen Vogt addresses the media after ALCS Game 2.
📺 MLB Network pic.twitter.com/2cRT7NZ6kA
Now they’ll need that kind of energy again, because the stakes are simple: three more wins, and Cleveland is in its first World Series since 2016.
Game 2, though, was a missed opportunity.
Rookie left-hander Parker Messick turned in a solid start, the bullpen kept doing its job and the Guardians nearly matched Tampa Bay in hits, finishing with six to the Rays’ seven. But one costly mistake changed the game.
Jose Ramirez bobbled a two-out ground ball in the fourth inning, letting Victor Mesa Jr. score the first run. Liam Hicks followed with a two-RBI single to extend the damage.
Cleveland did scratch across a run when rookie Chase DeLauter delivered an RBI double in the seventh, but that was as close as the offense got to a late rally.
Now the Guardians get the chance to reset in front of their own crowd, and Vogt is banking on the atmosphere helping his club answer back. Game 3 is set for 6 p.m. ET on Thursday.
In Other News...
Cade Smith Is Giving Cleveland A Bullpen Edge And A Real Debate
Cade Smith has become one of the Guardians most valuable bullpen pieces this October, and not just because of the results. He has appeared in all six playoff games, worked in a range of late-game spots for Stephen Vogt, and generally given Cleveland the kind of steady, high-leverage relief work that can swing a series. Hunter Gaddis has been part of that same bridge out of the bullpen, helping keep opponents from getting comfortable once the game gets into the final innings.
Smiths role has also created a real discussion inside the postseason script Cleveland is writing. He has only one save, which says plenty about how Vogt has deployed him and how flexible the Guardians have tried to be with their best arms. For a club trying to survive tight playoff baseball, the bullpen edge matters, and Smith is making sure Cleveland has one even as the debate over how to label that job keeps growing. [Read more 🡒]
Nathaniel Lowe Is Showing Cleveland Why This Deadline Bet Mattered
Nathaniel Lowe arrived in Cleveland just before the August 3 trade deadline as part of a move that told you plenty about how the Guardians wanted to finish the season. Mike Chernoff pointed to Lowes offense and the way he could fit into the clubhouse, and since then the veteran has given the team exactly the kind of steady presence a contender hopes to add without much fuss.
Lowes value has shown up in the biggest spots, including Game 1 of the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays, where his RBI work helped keep Cleveland in the conversation early. For a club that made the bet to bring him in for this stretch, every timely swing only reinforces why the deadline deal mattered. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Let A Winnable ALCS Game Slip At The Worst Time
Cleveland had a chance to take firm control of the American League Championship Series, but Game 2 slipped away in a 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay. The Guardians had played themselves into a position where every small edge mattered, and for much of the night it looked like they might carry one back home with them before the game turned in a hurry.
Jose Ramirezs throwing error in the fourth inning opened the door to three unearned Rays runs, a costly lapse in a game Cleveland could not afford to waste. The series now shifts to Progressive Field tied 1-1, with the next three games set for Cleveland and the margin for error already feeling smaller than ever. [Read more 🡒]