MLB Network turned its attention to the American League Wild Card race this week, posing a direct question to its panel of analysts about which club is better built for a deep run into October.
The debate centered on Cleveland and Toronto, two teams currently squaring off in a three-game series at Progressive Field that carries real playoff implications for both sides. Former big leaguer DeRosa did not hesitate when asked to weigh in.
“Do you want to play it safe, or do you want sexy? Because the more reliable team is the Guardians. The pitching’s deeper, starting-wise. Trust it a little bit more. The bullpen’s just as good, if not better, than Toronto’s. The defense is cleaner. It’s just Jose Ramirez. The safer play is the Guardians here,” DeRosa said.
Which AL team is better positioned to make a Postseason push: Cleveland or Toronto?#MLBCentral pic.twitter.com/akobEghEbw
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) September 1, 2026
He argued that the Guardians carry more depth among their starters and that it is a group he would trust more than Toronto’s heading into the stretch run. From there, DeRosa turned to the bullpen, suggesting that Cleveland’s relief corps is at least on par with Toronto’s, if not better, a notable claim given how much both franchises have leaned on their pens down the stretch. He also praised the defense as cleaner overall, before circling back to the one name that tends to come up in every conversation about Cleveland’s ceiling. According to DeRosa, the presence of Jose Ramirez alone tips the scale, and taken together, he called the Guardians the safer bet of the two clubs.
Cleveland has continued to push for position in a crowded Wild Card picture while also chasing the White Sox in the American League Central, and a strong showing in this series against Toronto would go a long way toward validating the case DeRosa laid out on national television.
NEXT: Gavin Williams Sets New Career High Against Blue Jays
