The Cleveland Guardians lost two straight this weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, allowing nine runs in each game. They enjoyed a day off on Monday, sure, but they entered their series against the New York Yankees with many questions surrounding their offense and pitching staff.
It’s safe to say, however, that if given a chance to rebound and return to form, these Guardians will be competitive in almost every situation. They were thrown into the fire at Yankee Stadium, against the second-best team in the American League, and have won two in a row.
Analyst Anthony Lima is impressed by the Guardians and how balanced they have looked in these two games on the road.
“To be up 2-0 and have the brooms out, and they’ve faced so far Gerrit Cole and [Cam Schlittler]. On paper, who saw that and said the Guardians will be up 2-0? Especially with Jose Ramirez mired in the season-long slump that he’s been in. Like, holy cow. This is fun,” Lima said.
"To be up 2-0 and have the brooms out, they've faced so far Gerrit Cole and (Cam Schlittler). On paper who saw that and said the Guardians will be up 2-0?"
⚾@KenCarman & @SportsBoyTony on the #Guardians winning 2 in a row vs Yankees pic.twitter.com/9BHG2HtUjF
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) June 4, 2026
Yes, the Guardians have faced two of the best pitchers in the junior circuit in Schlittler and Cole, and managed to beat both. The two aces didn’t have disastrous outings, but Cleveland’s offense forced Schlittler to work and chased him early, and they showcased their power against Cole, hitting three homers off him.
Ramirez, as Lima said, was mired in a season-long slump, rare for a hitter of his stature. However, he has been marvelous in these two games, racking up six hits, including three doubles and a home run. He also stole his 21st base of the year on Wednesday.
In fact, two struggling stars have been largely responsible for these two unexpected victories: Ramirez and Kyle Manzardo, who has homered in the two games and is starting to resemble the hitter who had 27 home runs last year in his breakout season.
The bullpen has been amazing, too, and starting pitching has held its own so far. Cleveland will go for the sweep at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, but even if they can’t secure it, they have played an amazing series and deserve a lot of credit.
If they win on Wednesday, they will tie the Yankees for that second-best record in the American League. In today’s game, tiebreakers are incredibly important.
NEXT: Rhys Hoskins Explains Exactly What Makes The Guardians Different
