The Cleveland Guardians are coming off back-to-back divisional titles. Stephen Vogt has led them to the playoffs in both of his years in charge of the team.
As such, it only makes sense that some fans have high expectations for the upcoming campaign. And, as usual, the first couple of weeks of the season always lead to overreactions, both good and bad.
That’s why team analyst Joe Noga doesn’t want the fans to get too carried away if things get off to a slow start in Cleveland.
In his latest column, he revealed the team’s brutal initial schedule, and it might take a while before they get back on track:
“The early portion of Cleveland’s schedule is brutal, with an opening road trip against juggernaut favorites including the Mariners and Dodgers, a visit from Craig Albernaz’s newly reloaded Orioles and a trip to Toronto at the end of April. In 2026, fans absolutely must resolve not to overreact after one bad week, even when the club loses four of six on the road while Steven Kwan goes 6-for-12 and they somehow still can’t score because the offense collectively forgets how to hit with runners on base,” Noga wrote.
Of course, it’s not ideal to get off to a slow start. That being said, this team has already shown that the MLB season is a long grind full of ebbs and flows.
This team didn’t give up last season despite winning just nine games in June and enduring a ten-game losing streak. They licked their wounds, got back on their feet, and made sure to take care of business when it mattered the most.
Now, they’re expected to have a little more help at the plate, with young stars like Chase DeLauter, C.J. Kayfus, and George Valera getting the nod right out of the gate. And even though trusting rookies might not be the wisest bet, it might be their only choice.
No one wins or loses the World Series in the first two weeks. It’s not about how you start the season but about how you close it out.
NEXT: Guardians Are Favorites To Sign Intriguing Pitching Prospect
