The 2026 Guardians and Faith Rewarded

As Guardians fans, we invest a lot into this team and the team has rewarded those who have kept the faith this season.

In 2025, through 100 games, the Guardians were 50-50. They were busy trying to undo a 15.5 game lead the Tigers had managed at one point. And, of course, we all know they did it. The biggest comeback in MLB history was accomplished on the last game of the regular season, winning the Guardians the AL Central and a playoff berth.

Cleveland then lost a three-game series to Detroit, undoing some of the goodwill they’d managed to acquire in their comeback. Yet, they still had the experience to fall back on… this is the kind of manager and team that finish strong and can overcome immense odds. Fans could reasonably hope that the relentless and resilient mindset established last season would continue in future difficult circumstances.

The 2026 team didn’t make this easy. The difference for me, come 100 games and a 51-49 record, was that I had little doubt the Guardians would make the playoffs but had seen nothing to make me think they would be able to complete another comeback to take a 5.5 game lead from the White Sox. Additionally, I was firmly on team “Get a new hitting coach from another successful organization.”

I believed in common punching bags like Stephen Vogt as a strategist, Hunter Gaddis, Matt Festa, Foster Griffin, Brayan Rocchio and Travis Bazzana. I defended the organization for signing Rhys Hoskins and acquiring Craig Yoho, Jo Adell, Nathaniel Lowe and Griffin as they kept aggressively promoting prospects and giving them a run at improving the team. I never wavered that given time Jose would recover hand/wrist strength and be his old self again and it was worth keeping him in the top of the order and on the field if he felt he was healthy enough to manage it (I wrote a piece saying he should feel frew to take an IL stint in August if he felt it would help). I even reluctantly understood not promoting Ralphy Velazquez and riding with their guys. But, it turns out even that level of faith was not enough for this memorable Guardians team.

They somehow managed to do just enough to secure the AL.Central from the upstart White Sox, Pope Superfan and all, on the second-to-last day of the season. This time, they secured the second seed in the AL and a first-round bye. And, obviously, they overcame a 0-2 hole from losing two home games to come back and win the ALDS from the White Sox. Since 2005, Chicago has been my second-least favorite team aside from the Yankees. Their fans are seemingly universally obnoxious on social media and maybe it’s their Yankee pinstripes that make me just despise playing them. The only way this playoff run would be a disappointment to me is if the Guardians had again besmirched an amazing comeback with a loss to a division rival in the playoffs.

Instead, here we are… in the ALCS. Jose Ramirez put up a 211 wRC+ against the White Sox in a playoff performances that will be a highlight in his Hall of Fame montage. Gavin Williams was absolutely nails to end game four and to start game 5. Cade Smith was a force of automation unknown to man. There were heroes up and down the roster who redeemed their poor home start with a win at Progressive Field that sold-out crowd and fans at home will remember the rest of their lives.

Do I still wish ownership would have gone nuts and signed Pete Alonso? Yes. Do I think it would have been reasonable to sign another more high leverage proven arm to accompany Shawn Armstrong? Of course. But, give credit where credit is due. This organization has made the smart decisions to get back to a doorstep away from the World Series. They deserve our faith and loyalty.

That’s a good feeling to be able to say that. It doesn’t feel like there are many public entities left who deserve our faith. It certainly doesn’t mean that the Dolans, Antonetti, Chernoff and co. aren’t capable and guilty of big mistakes (see: Junior Caminero statting tonight for the Rays). But, overall, they have 100% proved they have the ability to do, consistently, the hardest thing in professional sports- field a competitive baseball team annually in a small market. I am so happy I root for an organization like that and I am going to remember that when I feel compelled to offer criticism in the future.

I am very glad life allows me to write about the baseball team I love. It’s a privilege to oversee this community. But, it is important before we embark on this next part of the 2026 baseball journey to pause for a second and remember how fortunate I am to root for the Cleveland Guardians. We can acknowledge that we have a nearly 80-year title drought that we can justly wish ownership to show more urgency to end while also acknowledging that the entire baseball ops group has done everything in their power to give these guys a chance to do what the 1995, 1997 and 2016 teams BARELY missed the chance to do.

Now, bring back GuardsFest and don’t make us lose games during the lockout and promote Ralphy for Opening Day and sign Ty France and extend Steven Kwan and… Ope, my bad, I know you guys know what you’re doing and I hope you know my wishes and suggestions come from a place of trying to guess how you’ll do the magic of playoff baseball again in 2027. Thanks, Guardians! You are the best. Now, whaddya got for us next?