Austin Hedges has never hidden how much he loves playing for the Cleveland Guardians, and that made Monday night even tougher. Moments after the Tampa Bay Rays eliminated Cleveland with a 7-3 win in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, the veteran catcher sat in the visiting clubhouse at Tropicana Field and reflected on what comes next. Hedges is set to become a free agent this offseason, which means the loss may have been his final game in a Cleveland uniform. It was clearly something weighing on him as the season came to an end. In an emotional moment shared by Mason Horodyski of WEWS, Hedges made it clear where his heart is.
“I hope this isn’t the last time I put a Cleveland jersey on,” Hedges said.
"I hope this isn't the last time I put a Cleveland jersey on. I love it here."
An emotional Austin Hedges inside Cleveland's clubhouse after the #Guardians loss in Game 6 of the ALCS#GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/AJQiYBiRB3
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) October 20, 2026
Hedges said he loves it in Cleveland, but acknowledged that he is a free agent and that he would think about his future another day. For now, he was simply trying to process the end of a memorable season.
His connection to the city runs deep. Cleveland acquired Hedges from San Diego during the 2020 season, and he spent parts of three years with the club before leaving for Pittsburgh and Texas in 2023. He won a World Series ring with the Rangers that fall and then chose to return to Cleveland in 2024. Since then, he has signed one-year deals each offseason to stay with the Guardians, and when he re-signed for this season, he made it clear he wanted to finish his career in Cleveland.
That loyalty has been rewarded with plenty of winning. Hedges has been part of four AL Central championship teams in Cleveland, including this year’s club, and he has made five postseason trips with the organization. After the Guardians clinched the division in Kansas City last month, he famously shouted to the cameras that he loves Cleveland with all his heart.
Whether the Guardians bring Hedges back will be one of the more interesting storylines of the offseason. He will turn 35 next summer, and Cleveland will have decisions to make about its catching depth. But there is no doubt about how Hedges feels.
He wants to be back in Cleveland, and after everything he has given the organization, plenty of Guardians fans want the same thing.
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