The Cleveland Guardians’ season came to a painful end on Monday night, and Stephen Vogt is not asking his players to pretend otherwise. The Tampa Bay Rays beat Cleveland 7-3 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field, winning the series four games to two and earning a trip to the World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Guardians were two wins away from the Fall Classic after taking a 2-1 series lead, but Tampa Bay won the final three games to close it out. When Vogt met with reporters after the game, he was asked what message he delivered to his team in the clubhouse. His answer started with three simple words: ‘let it hurt.’
“Let it hurt. That hurts. I couldn’t be more proud of our group. This hurts. This stings. Felt like we really had a team to go…let it hurt. Let it sink in. Let it fuel you this winter,” Vogt said.
"Let it hurt. That hurts. I couldn't be more proud of our group. This hurts. This stings. Felt like we really had a team to go…let it hurt. Let it sink in. Let it fuel you this winter." #Guardians manager Stephen Vogt on his message to the team following elimination in the… pic.twitter.com/OK2ySrlvNd
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) October 20, 2026
Vogt admitted the loss hurts and stings, saying he truly felt the Guardians had a team capable of going all the way, but they just were not able to get there. At the same time, he repeatedly emphasized how proud he is of everyone involved, from the players to the coaches, the support staff and the front office. More than anything, Vogt said, he is proud of this group.
That pride is well earned. Few people expected the Guardians to make it this far. Their playoff odds dropped to 24.4 percent in the middle of August, and they sat at 70-70 and three games behind the White Sox on Sept. 3. Cleveland responded by going 15-6 down the stretch to win a third straight AL Central title. In the division series, the Guardians lost the first two games at home before becoming the first team in franchise history to rally from a 2-0 deficit, winning three straight elimination games against Chicago. They then took two of the first three games against a Rays team that won 98 games during the regular season.
Vogt has now led Cleveland to three division titles in his first three seasons as manager, along with two trips to the ALCS. His message about letting the loss fuel the team this winter suggests he expects this group to be right back in the mix next season, and there are plenty of reasons to believe that.
The Guardians’ young core gained valuable experience on the biggest stage. Parker Messick and Gavin Williams anchored the rotation, with Williams putting together one of the most dominant postseason strikeout runs in baseball history. Chase DeLauter set a franchise record for hits by a rookie in a single postseason, while Travis Bazzana, Petey Halpin and Daniel Espino all delivered big moments. José Ramírez, who battled the effects of hand surgery all season, showed flashes of his old self in October, and the Guardians expect him to be fully healthy in 2027.
The sting of this loss will linger, especially for a franchise that has not won a World Series since 1948. But Vogt clearly wants his players to carry that feeling with them into the offseason and use it as motivation.
The Rays will open the World Series against the Brewers on Friday in Milwaukee. For Cleveland, the focus now shifts to the winter. Vogt wants it to hurt, and he wants that hurt to turn into something more next October.
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