Somehow, in less than two weeks, the Cleveland Guardians have come back alive and put themselves right back into the playoff race. The Guardians have gone 8-1 over their last three series and positioned themselves only 2.5 games behind the Chicago White Sox for first place in the AL Central. The resurgence of the offense has certainly helped the Guardians during this hot stretch of play.
However, former big leaguer and current Guardians analyst Carlos Baerga recently revealed what he believes is the real reason why the Guardians have been playing so well recently.
“Our pitching staff, in the last six games, 1.71 ERA, No. 2 in the American League. No. 1 in the bullpen, 0.78 ERA. That is showing you that, for us to win, everybody has to be together, Baerga said.
The Guards will go as far as the pitching staff takes them. #GuardsBall@baerga99 speaks to a season reborn. https://t.co/2kJF0v4GRQ pic.twitter.com/Nkq9cvffau
— BIGPLAY Cleveland (@BIGPLAYcle) August 27, 2026
The offense coming alive has been a big reason for the Guardians’ success lately, but the pitching staff might be the main reason for the resurgence. Given the numbers Baerga posted, the Guardians have been nearly unhittable during this stretch of play. This team doesn’t need a ton of run support when the pitching is doing it at this elite level.
The Guardians have been mostly carried by their pitching staff throughout the season. Finally, the offense has turned it around in August. This is a top-10 offense in runs scored over the last month, which is great to see from a lineup that has struggled throughout most of the year.
One of the biggest reasons for the Guardians’ success is Parker Messick. The 25-year-old is putting together a Cy Young-caliber season on the mound. Messick has been incredible, but he’s not a one-man army. The trio of Joey Cantillo, Tanner Bibee, and Gavin Williams all have ERAs under 4.00 entering Friday’s game.
The bullpen has been fantastic as well, with Cade Smith posting a 2.40 ERA with 35 saves. Both Hunter Gaddis and Erik Sabrowski have been excellent setup options as well. It’s tough for an opposing team to have much of a chance with how well the starters and relievers have been pitching in Cleveland.
Barring any injuries, the Guardians could be a dangerous team in the playoffs with this current pitching staff.
NEXT: Insider Reveals Key To Guardians' Strong Postseason Push
