The Cleveland Guardians struggled with mistakes in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card series against the Detroit Tigers.
Errors cost them, with two unearned runs spoiling Gavin Williams’s outstanding job on the mound.
However, they could’ve won the game if they had gotten any sort of offensive production.
With that in mind, Guardians insider Zack Meisel pointed out his biggest concern entering Game 2.
“Cleveland’s .226 batting average is the worst all-time for any playoff team, aside from a handful of clubs in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The Guardians’ .296 on-base percentage? Also the worst for a playoff team. Their .373 slugging percentage (again, casting aside the 2020 teams) is the second-lowest of any playoff team since 1988. So, this is one of the worst offenses ever to limp into October,” Meisel wrote.
That’s the way this team is constructed.
It was a talking point during the offseason when they moved on from Josh Naylor, and it was the biggest issue throughout the course of the season.
Though the Guardians won’t hit their way to the World Series, they’ve shown that they can be successful with their brand of baseball.
That means playing strong defense and getting timely hits, neither of which happened in Game 1.
They were facing one of the best pitchers in the game, and defeating Tarik Skubal would be a big challenge even for the best-hitting teams.
That shouldn’t be an issue in Game 2 against Tigers starter Casey Mize.
Rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter is making his MLB debut, and while the setting is unusual, his talent could give manager Stephen Vogt a much-needed boost in the lineup.
The Guardians need to bounce back, as they have no margin for error with the season on the line.
NEXT: Stephen Vogt Reveals Reason For Chase DeLauter's Start In Game 2
