The Cleveland Guardians looked like they didn’t stand a chance in June.
They won just nine games in the entire month, and they couldn’t get anything going at the plate.
Fast forward to today, and they’re the hottest team in all of baseball.
With that in mind, team analyst Bruce Drennan tipped his hat to Stephen Vogt for being able to keep the team focused and motivated despite the struggles (via Bruce Drennan Show):
“It’s not so much that I’ve noticed anything differently, but it’s a reflection on the leadership of Terry Francona and now Stephen Vogt. Both of these managers seem to get these players into a mindset that they do not give up on the year, on the season,” Drennan said.
What have the #Guardians changed since snapping their 10 game losing streak? #GuardsBall
"It's a reflection on the leadership."
-Bruce pic.twitter.com/yRmi5JKyKa
— Bruce Drennan Show (@Bruce_Drennan) August 12, 2025
The Guardians’ manager never wavered.
He constantly had his players’ backs, and while he acknowledged that they needed to be better, he also repeatedly said that he fully believed in their ability to get over the hump.
Now, they’re just one game behind the slumping New York Yankees in the race for the final AL Wild Card spot.
They’re also just four games behind the division-leading Detroit Tigers.
While everybody else seems to be falling back to Earth in the most crucial time of the season, the Guardians are rallying and showing their best version.
They’ve had to endure losing one of their starting pitchers and their superstar closer to a sports gambling investigation, yet they haven’t missed a beat because of that.
Granted, they might still not be the strongest World Series contender or the most offensively sound team.
But they’re playing like a team that can hold its own against the best of them, and with a leveled field in the playoffs, you just have to like their chances against anybody that comes across them.
NEXT: Analyst Proposes Guardians Manager For Award If They Make Playoffs
