The Cleveland Guardians threw away a golden opportunity to take possession of the top spot in the AL Central on Monday. They lost 7-3 to the Chicago White Sox in the series opener at Progressive Field and are now a game and a half behind them in the division.
They had Gavin Williams, one of their very best pitchers, on the mound and well-rested. They also have one of the league’s best bullpens in recent weeks. Still, they couldn’t get the job done.
Had they won that game, the Guardians would have woken up as the AL Central leaders on Tuesday. It didn’t happen, but one loss certainly won’t undermine the team’s chances. In fact, with a win, Cleveland can come close again and re-take the top spot with another victory on Wednesday’s finale.
Manager Stephen Vogt wanted to let his players know that they can still win the two remaining games on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the focus should be on today’s clash. One day, one game at a time.
“This team’s not gonna get down by one loss. We have two more in this series. We know what we’re up against. We know that there’s an 11-game sprint to the end, but we can only take care of one at a time. This team hasn’t let one loss get them down yet. I don’t expect that to happen now. We’re going to be ready to go tomorrow,” Vogt said.
"This team hasn't let one loss get them down yet. I don't expect that to happen now. We're going to be ready to go tomorrow."#Guardians Stephen Vogt on being ready to bounce back tomorrow vs the White Sox#GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/XTb2WCXxZj
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) September 15, 2026
And the Guardians are ready. They have suffered tough losses before. That’s how they have built character and resilience.
They know that they can compete with the White Sox if they avoid errors and mistakes, such as the Nathaniel Lowe one that had a chance to change the game’s outcome. They have to play clean baseball, and the offense needs to be more consistent, but the Guardians have what it takes to compete.
They will send All-Stars Foster Griffin and Parker Messick to the mound on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. With them, they stand a chance to beat just about anyone.
All they need to do is win the next game. Tie the series. Game by game, step by step.
NEXT: Gavin Williams Notches Rare Guardians Pitching Milestone
