The Cleveland Guardians couldn’t keep the momentum going.
They lost to the Kansas City Royals in a crucial matchup against one of the teams also looking to earn an AL Wild Card, and while the Guardians couldn’t expect to win every game until the end of the season, this was one they couldn’t afford to lose.
Asked about that, Guardians infielder Brayan Rocchio revealed that the plan and the mindset haven’t changed.
They know they have to embrace a postseason mentality until the end of the campaign, regardless of the opponent or the latest outcome.
“It’s about preserving the calm,” Rocchio said. “We feel it’s kind of like playoff baseball at this point. You’ve got to focus on winning every single game. It’s difficult when you lose, but also it gets you a little more confidence when you keep winning. So for us, it’s bouncing back, staying calm and trying to do the best for the next game.”
The Guardians were riding a five-game winning streak in pursuit of the Seattle Mariners, who hold the third AL Wild Card spot.
The Guardians also trail the Texas Rangers, and with this loss, the Royals are right behind them.
Cleveland is in the midst of 17 games in as many days, and then, after one day off, it will play seven games in six days.
That’s why the Guardians need to have a short memory and bounce back quickly.
They have another crucial game against the Royals, with Gavin Williams taking the mound to help get another winning streak going.
NEXT: Guardians Get Encouraging Injury Update On Gabriel Arias
