The Cleveland Guardians won again on Friday, dispatching the Oakland Athletics with a 10-2 final score.
Their 14-6 record is the best in baseball, together with the New York Yankees.
Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that Cleveland has a +45 run differential.
Not only is it a very healthy mark, but also no one else has a better differential: only the Kansas City Royals match them at +45, and the next best team, the Atlanta Braves, is 11 runs worse at +34.
According to Cleveland Stats, it’s the best run differential through the Guardians’ first 20 games in almost 30 years.
“The Guardians are off to a smoking start with their best run differential through 20 games since 1995. MLB – Entering 4/20 Best Run Differential: T1. Guardians +45; T1. Royals +45; 3. Braves +34; 4. Diamondbacks +30; 5. Brewers +26,” they tweeted.
The Guardians are off to a smoking start with their best run differential through 20 games since 1995.
MLB – Entering 4/20
Best Run DifferentialT1. Guardians +45
T1. Royals +45
3. Braves +34
4. Diamondbacks +30
5. Brewers +26pic.twitter.com/dNAO8bUPDG— Cleveland Stats (@CLE_STATS) April 20, 2024
You probably don’t need us to tell you those 1995 Guardians (Indians) were special.
That group, led by Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton, Manny Ramirez, Omar Vizquel, Jim Thome and other notable players, were the first to take Cleveland to the World Series since 1954.
They couldn’t take the trophy, but it sure was a special club.
These Guardians lack that kind of power, but have a special aura to them that makes them very exciting to watch.
Their pitching is top-notch, even without the injured Shane Bieber.
Their young hitters are blossoming, and their relievers are always competitive.
Still, as good as the Guards have been, it’s shocking to see them leading the league in run differential through 20 games.
It shows how committed they are to competing and how improved the lineup is.
This squad will be very hard to beat from here on out.
NEXT: Tyler Freeman Shows Off His Bat And His Glove In Center Field
