The Cleveland Guardians have been one of the worst teams in baseball since the trade deadline. That’s odd, to say the least, since the team added not one, not two, but five potential contributors to cement their status as contenders.
The game can be cruel sometimes, though. Since the trade deadline, the Guardians are 1-6, and they have seen their record fall four games below .500. They are four games behind the Chicago White Sox for the AL Central lead, but they are also fourth in the division now, behind the Minnesota Twins and the Detroit Tigers, too.
Is it too soon to say that the season is over for them? The Guardians are currently not in possession of a postseason spot, as they are two games behind the Texas Rangers for the third Wild Card spot.
Fans are, understandably, frustrated with recent results. Some of them think the Guardians have no chance at this point, and they have relayed these feelings to analyst Anthony Lima.
“Not looking good. I was getting texts last night from very, very concerned fans saying it’s over and this team has no chance,” Lima said at 92.3 The Fan.
"Are we putting a lid on this season"
"I was getting the texts last night saying this team has no chance."
🚨 @KenCarman and @SportsBoyTony on the #Guardians continued slide pic.twitter.com/ttNRkl0RM2
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) August 12, 2026
The truth is that, as frustrating and heartbreaking as these last few games have been, it’s not fair to write the Guardians off yet. Remember, they came back from double-digit games behind the Tigers in the standings last year and won the division in September, and we are only in mid-August.
Some might say that just because it happened last year doesn’t mean it will happen in 2026 again, but the foundation of the roster was pretty much the same, with a few changes. If anything, the Guardians have more impactful young players this year, such as Chase DeLauter, Travis Bazzana, Angel Genao, and more.
As bad as they have looked since the deadline, the Guardians are just a couple of games behind the last postseason spot. With a month and a half to play, October remains well within reach.
They need to start playing better, though. The relievers have to do a better job of keeping leads, and the hitters should work every at-bat as if it were the last, with laser-like focus and conviction.
Cleveland still has some time. However, things need to change.
NEXT: Chase DeLauter Gets Honest About Guardians' Offensive Struggles
