Let's break down all the exciting moments and milestones for the Cleveland Guardians, as they check off their to-do list with a sense of purpose and achievement. This past week was a thrilling one for the Guardians, as they secured several major milestones that have set them up perfectly for the postseason.
The Guardians’ Checklist:
- Qualify for the Postseason – Check.
- Clinch the AL Central Title – Check.
- Secure a Bye to the Best-of-Five ALDS – Check!
Within just five eventful days, Cleveland sealed their postseason spot, clinched the AL Central title, and secured a well-deserved bye straight into the ALDS. Their most recent victory, a commanding 6-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, completed the trifecta. With these accomplishments, the Guardians are now set to bypass the best-of-three Wild Card series, kicking off their ALDS journey on October 5th.
The energy at Progressive Field was electric on Tuesday as Tanner Bibee led the charge. Pitching with control and dominance, Bibee (12-8, 3.47 ERA) was staked to an early 3-0 lead and finished the night strong, throwing seven solid innings. This was his first home win since July 19, and he seems to be heating up at just the right time. In September alone, Bibee’s posted a 2.64 ERA with a 2-2 record, showing resilience and consistency as the season winds down.
What makes Tuesday night’s win even sweeter is that it also ensured the Guardians will retain the Ohio Cup. With a 2-1 lead in the four-game series against the Reds, the Guardians have locked in at least a tie, guaranteeing they’ll keep the Cup in Cleveland for the 10th consecutive season. The Ohio Cup may not be the biggest prize in baseball, but it holds sentimental value, and keeping it for a decade is no small feat.
A Manager’s Pride
It was a special night for manager Stephen Vogt, who expressed immense pride in his team. “It’s incredible to get the bye,” said Vogt. “We’ve worked really hard to get here. Postseason, division title, and now the bye—it’s just so great for these guys. They’ve earned every bit of it.” He added, “For them to get five days off leading up to the ALDS, to get some good work in, get their rest and heal up, we couldn’t be more thankful for this opportunity.”
Indeed, those five days of rest before the ALDS are crucial. As the postseason approaches, having a few extra days to regroup, heal, and prepare can often be the difference-maker. The Guardians, who avoided the wild card series, now have the luxury of fine-tuning their strategies and giving their players much-needed rest ahead of their ALDS campaign.
Early Firepower Leads the Way
The Guardians came out swinging on Tuesday, and their aggressive approach paid off early. Kyle Manzardo and Lane Thomas both launched homers in the first inning against Reds starter Carson Spiers. Manzardo, batting second in the lineup, set the tone by smashing a 2-0 pitch into the right field seats for a 1-0 lead. This was his fifth homer since being called up from Class AAA Columbus on September 1st. What made this particular blast stand out? The launch angle. Statcast recorded it at 47 degrees, tied for the second-highest of the season. “I’ve never hit a home run that high,” Manzardo admitted. “I was kind of upset. I thought I hit it too high. But the wind blows out that way. It worked out.”
Thomas followed suit, lining another 2-0 pitch onto the home run porch in left field, giving Cleveland a 3-0 lead. Thomas, who was acquired from the Washington Nationals on July 30, has been on fire since arriving in Cleveland. Tuesday night’s bomb was his 15th of the season, and he has driven in 20 RBIs since September alone. “It’s just baseball,” said Thomas, casually downplaying his hot streak. “Those stretches come and go, and it’s been nice to get a few hits lately and kind of contribute.”
Reds Struggling to Keep Up
On the other side, the Reds were dealing with their own challenges. With rotation changes and injuries piling up, Cincinnati was scrambling. Carson Spiers (5-7, 5.46 ERA) was called in to replace Jakob Junis, who was pushed back to Wednesday for personal reasons. But Spiers couldn’t hold off Cleveland’s red-hot lineup. The Reds, already hampered by missing starter Julian Aguiar due to a sore shoulder, found themselves in an early hole.
Still, the Reds attempted a rally in the fourth inning. Tyler Stephenson led off with a double and eventually scored on Spencer Steer’s single to center, cutting Cleveland’s lead to 3-1. But just as things started to look dicey, Bibee dug deep. After issuing a walk to T.J. Friedl, Bibee regained his form by striking out Ty France and inducing a hard grounder from Jake Fraley that turned into a crucial double play.
Bibee’s Home Win Drought Ends
Bibee’s performance was nothing short of impressive, and by the end of the night, he had retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. When asked about the significance of winning his first home game since July 19, Bibee shrugged it off. “I feel like when you’re going through this long season, those days kind of blend together sometimes,” he said.
It’s unclear whether Bibee will make one more start in the regular season, with manager Vogt still undecided. “We didn’t talk about anything until we secured the bye,” Vogt said. “I’m sure we’ll have some more conversations about it.” Regardless, Bibee looks poised to be a key player in the postseason, with the potential to start Game 1 of the ALDS.
Adding Insult to Injury
Cleveland kept their foot on the gas as the game wore on. In the fifth inning, Jose Ramirez—whose season-high on-base streak of 20 straight games ended Sunday—ripped a single to right field. Josh Naylor followed with a double into the right field corner, bringing Ramirez home just ahead of the throw to make it 4-1.
But the game wasn’t without a moment of concern. A frightening scene unfolded in the fifth when Bibee hit Jonathan India in the batting helmet with a pitch. Thankfully, India got up quickly and stayed in the game, but it was a heart-stopping moment for both teams. Later in the seventh inning, Amed Rosario took over at second base as a precaution.
Cleveland continued to pile on, adding two more insurance runs in the seventh. After Kyle Manzardo walked to start the inning, Jose Ramirez doubled off the right-field wall, sending Manzardo to third. Josh Naylor’s sacrifice fly brought him home, and Ramirez scored on Lane Thomas’ grounder, making the final score 6-1.
What’s Next for the Guardians?
The Guardians are riding high after checking off their major goals for the season. Now, with the AL Central title in hand and a bye in the bag, they turn their attention to the next phase: the ALDS. It’s an exciting time to be a Guardians fan, and all eyes will be on this team as they look to make a deep postseason run.
So, get ready for October baseball, Cleveland—things are just heating up!
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