The Cleveland Guardians have not made things easy on themselves over the last several weeks, and the front office is not hiding from that reality. President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti spoke candidly about where things stand for a team that has struggled to find its footing since the trade deadline passed.
Cleveland enters the final stretch of the season sitting in a crowded middle of the AL Central, with a handful of teams separated by only a few games. The Guardians have dropped eight of their last eleven contests, and the offense in particular has drawn criticism for its inability to consistently deliver in key moments. That frustration has spread beyond the fan base and into the front office itself, where Antonetti did not sugarcoat the recent results.
“We still have an opportunity in front of us and we have to play better baseball,” Antonetti said.
He continued by pointing to a belief that still exists within the organization despite the rocky stretch.
“We have not played well over the last few weeks and I think everybody believes we’re capable of more,” Antonetti said.
Antonetti’s comments came around the same news cycle as another concerning development for a Cleveland bullpen that has otherwise been one of the more reliable units in baseball this season. Colin Holderman exited Saturday’s win over the Padres with right wrist inflammation, pulled with two outs in the seventh inning after manager Stephen Vogt did not like what he saw on his face during the at bat. Vogt called it a potential day to day issue, though Holderman has dealt with a similar wrist injury in the past that cost him roughly six weeks last season.
Losing Holderman for any real stretch would sting for a Cleveland relief corps that has leaned heavily on him in high leverage spots alongside closer Cade Smith. He entered Saturday with an ERA below two and had been one of six relievers to already surpass 45 appearances, a workload that speaks to how often Vogt has turned to this group throughout the year.
Antonetti’s message was not about panic, but about accountability, and that distinction matters as Cleveland tries to salvage a season that still has roughly forty games remaining. The talent within the roster has not disappeared, and Saturday’s combined one hitter behind Joey Cantillo offered a reminder of what this team looks like at its best. Whether the Guardians can turn Antonetti’s words into a sustained push will start to show itself over the coming weeks, with the wild card race still tight enough to reward exactly the kind of response he is asking for.
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