The Cleveland Guardians have been treading water over the first month of the 2026 season, as their failure to combine pitching and hitting has prevented them from climbing much above .500. The glass-half-full outlook would say that they will inevitably put it all together, as they usually have under manager Stephen Vogt, while the glass-half-empty view says their lack of depth will ultimately prevent them from getting back to the playoffs.
Fortunately, most of the American League is struggling as well, with just five teams, including the Guardians, currently holding a winning record. At the top of the list, as usual, are the New York Yankees, who are the AL favorites to make it to the World Series.
With that in mind, former player Dontrelle Willis has named the Guardians as the biggest threat to the Yankees in the American League, based on Cleveland’s recent history of success.
“I have to go with the Cleveland Guardians [as the biggest threat to the Yankees] because of their experience. Stephen Vogt always has these guys ready to play and play clean baseball. Talking to Stephen Vogt, he always laughs about ‘I know how they rate us coming into the season, but it does not matter in Cleveland because we win ballgames.’ They have that experience. Saw that when they ran down the Tigers last year,” Willis said.
“Stephen Vogt always has these guys ready to play and play clean baseball.”@DTrainMLB believes the Guardians are the biggest threat to the Yankees in the AL 👀 pic.twitter.com/YExl6h7YOt
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 20, 2026
Last season, the Guardians were well under .500 in early July, and still below that mark in early September, before their historic rally to win the AL Central for a second year in a row. Cleveland has made the playoffs three times in the past four years, and seven times in the prior 10 seasons. That includes a five-game loss to the Yankees in the 2024 ALCS, which was Vogt’s first year as manager.
This season, a starting rotation led by Gavin Williams and Parker Messick has helped the Guardians overcome a struggling offense to return to the top of the division. However, at 13-11, they have not been able to put together a winning streak that would create some distance over the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins.
With Jose Ramirez returning to his usual MVP form, and Chase DeLauter likely to break out of a prolonged slump that has followed his historic start, Cleveland’s offense should catch up to its pitching at some point, which would make them a legitimate contender to take on the Yankees for a trip to the World Series.
NEXT: Slade Cecconi Gets Honest About His Start To The Season
