It’s been a weird American League Division Series for the Cleveland Guardians. A surging offense got shut down in Games 1 and 2, where they had their two best starters and lost anyway. The bats, however, woke up on Wednesday’s Game 3, and a bunch of relievers and starters being used out of the bullpen took them to a much-needed win to stave off elimination.
With the Guardians, you just don’t know what to expect: they usually surprise you, for better or for worse. That’s why analyst Ken Carman said, before Thursday’s Game 4, that he’s taking a cautious approach.
“I’m being a little bit more reserved. It’s been a weird year where it’s you shoot your mouth off, they lose three in a row. You think that they’re going to suck up the room and this is the end of the season, they win six in a row. It’s been a weird year. With Parker Messick on the mound, I’m feeling really good. It sets up how you wanted it. Now I got Messick. Then I can go to Gavin Williams in a Game 5, but I got to get to a Game 5. I still gotta live. Yesterday was great. I loved hearing the guys being positive. It still has to change, though, in how this goes,” Carman said.
“Now I got Messick. Then I can go to Gavin Williams in a Game 5, but I got to get to a Game 5.”
➡️ @KenCarman w/ @SportsBoyTony on why he’s still staying reserved despite the Guardians’ Game 3 win.#Guardians pic.twitter.com/wTUF0Yuzqv
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) October 8, 2026
The Guardians, as a team, are capable of the best and the worst. They can win three, five, or even seven in a row, just as easily as they can lose seven of nine games.
For now, however, the focus is on winning the next game, which is on Thursday. Fortunately for them, they will have their best pitcher, left-hander Parker Messick, on the mound.
The southpaw posted a 2.56 ERA and struck out 193 in a brilliant year in which he will likely be an AL Cy Young finalist and is a firm candidate to take home the AL Rookie of the Year Award. If he can help Cleveland take Game 4, we will have a winner-take-all Game 5 at Progressive Field this weekend.
If the Guardians make it that far, right-hander Gavin Williams, who struck out 11 hitters in Game 2 and led the American League in punchouts, will be in charge of taking the hill. If the offense can keep the foot on the gas on Thursday, Cleveland has a good chance of coming out on top.
NEXT: Guardians Made MLB Postseason History In Game 3
