The Guardians have made another improbable run to the postseason, winning their third straight AL Central title. Cleveland has now won seven division championships in the past 11 seasons.
But their path to the playoffs seemed unlikely last month.
“I’m thinking, these guys haven’t even won half their games,” said Ideastream Public Media sports commentator Terry Pluto. “There is no way you’re going to do what they did last year, which was, they rushed to the finish line to win.”
Last year’s comeback was historic. The Guardians overcame a 15 1/2-game deficit to the Detroit Tigers to win the AL Central.
This year, Cleveland faced another uphill climb. After trailing the White Sox by six games in mid-August, the Guardians went 24-10 and won nine of their final 10 games.
But Pluto said unlike last year, Cleveland couldn’t simply wait for its division rival to collapse.
“It’s not like (the White Sox) just died or anything,” Pluto said. “In that same span they were 17-17, so they were playing decently.”
Pluto said this time, the Guardians had to make their own comeback. It started with a series of moves at the MLB trade deadline. They brought in outfielder Jo Adell, first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and left-handed starter Foster Griffin to address some of their biggest roster needs.
In June, the Guardians lost their star third baseman, Jose Ramirez, to a hamate bone injury that required surgery. He missed five weeks and 30 games.
Pluto said Ramirez likely returned to the lineup too quickly.
“He's really struggled even to kind of perform at an average level,” Pluto said. “Like last year, when the Guardians came from 11 games behind in early September to beat the Tigers and win the division, Jose was driving that engine.”
With Ramirez struggling, other players had to step up, including shortstop Brayan Rocchio.
“When he was in the minors he was even called ‘the professor’ because they just kind of viewed him as this guy (who’s) quiet and kind of knows how to play the game,” Pluto said. “He's sharp, but I’ll tell you, he's had a Jose Ramirez September.”
Another young player making an impact is rookie second baseman Travis Bazzana.
“(He) was their number one pick in the 2024 draft (and) came to the majors early this season," Pluto said. "In the month of September, he’s hit six home runs.”
Pluto calls closer Cade Smith the team’s MVP.
“Usually, it's not a lot of drama with him in the ninth inning," Pluto said. "He usually strikes out two or three and it's over. So, I think he is the unsung hero of this season."
The Guardians now get to rest while watching the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros face off in the Wild Card Series. The winner will face Cleveland in the Division Series, beginning Saturday in Cleveland.
“I think I'd rather play the White Sox, just because they're younger and this is the first time they've been in the playoffs for quite a while,” Pluto said. “I'm just glad they're not in the other bracket where they would get the winner of the Yankees or Boston. The winner of that series will face Tampa Bay. So they caught a break in the way this was set up.”
Pluto said year after year, the Guardians are a fun team to root for because they consistently compete despite having one of baseball’s lowest payrolls.
“Fans get fixated on big names and big payrolls and they just think that that is the magic quotient for winning," Pluto said. "Of course, you have to have some talent. You need some veterans in that. But if you turn around and go, you know, nobody spends pretty much more than the (New York) Mets and what do they do? Not that much. And I think that's why for the most part, the Guardians embrace the underdog role. I mean, it's just a remarkable synergy between the front office, the players, the manager, the coaching staff. That is their secret sauce, as it starts from on top.”
