The Cleveland Guardians had to deal with a level of disrespect during this offseason that does not necessarily align with their performance on the field. Many projections have them falling well short of the playoffs with a losing record, despite the fact that they are the two-time defending AL Central champions and have made the playoffs in three of the past four years.
A lot of that pessimism came from the fact that they did little to improve their low-ranked offense with no significant signings or trades. But it fails to take into account that it is just how the organization operates, and building from within has served it quite well lately.
Analyst Ken Carman recently revealed his expectations for the Guardians this season, and he invoked the Pittsburgh Steelers, an NFL team that consistently posts winning seasons and makes the playoffs even if it hasn’t really threatened for a Super Bowl title lately.
“Can I expect a World Series run this year? No. Can I expect them to make the postseason? I think expectations are there to make the postseason with this club. It feels very Steelers. I’d rather them be the Steelers of Major League Baseball than a lot of other teams,” Carman said.
"I think expectations are there to make the postseason with this club. It feels very Steelers. I'd rather them be the Steelers of MLB than a lot of other teams."
⚾@KenCarman & @SportsBoyTony on Guardians expectations this season pic.twitter.com/HOZ2hFfgpY
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) March 27, 2026
The Guardians got off to a good start to the 2026 campaign with a 6-4 Opening Day victory at the Seattle Mariners. It was highlighted by two home runs from rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter in his first regular-season MLB game.
He is the perfect example of the Guardians’ philosophy of relying on homegrown stars rather than other teams’ free agents. DeLauter followed up an outstanding spring training with a rousing 2026 debut, and all signs point to him challenging for AL Rookie of the Year this season, which should enhance Cleveland’s postseason outlook.
Unfortunately, the Guardians are also already facing a bit of potentially significant adversity. Starting pitcher Tanner Bibee had to leave the game after five innings with shoulder inflammation. Though postgame tests were somewhat encouraging, losing the Opening Day pitcher after just one outing would be a significant blow and challenge the depth of the staff almost immediately.
However, there were enough positive signs and a victory in the bank to put those worries off for at least a little bit, with another matchup against the Mariners on Friday.
NEXT: Guardians’ Offense Sends Strong Message On Opening Day
