Analyst Says Guardians Have Flipped The Script After Bleak Stretch

The Cleveland Guardians might not be the best or the most talented team in the American League, but they sure are pesky. After falling to 61-66 a week ago, many people, including fans and analysts, counted them out. With too many squads fighting for a Wild Card spot and the Chicago White Sox firm at the top of the division, it was hard to envision the Guardians actually making the playoffs.

Fast forward a week, and Cleveland is now 67-66 after winning six in a row. They are currently in possession of one of the junior circuit’s Wild Card spots, and are just 2.5 games behind the White Sox for the lead.

It’s important to note that the winning streak has come against weak opposition, but the Guardians are trending up. At this point, it’s hard to deny it.

“Obviously, we kind of buried them a few weeks ago. Everybody thought that it was looking very, very bleak. They had some really measuring-stick series, and they looked like a team that isn’t ready for primetime. It’s nowhere near the measuring stick it used to be, but this’ll be yet another year where they’ve been counted out and they figured it out,” analyst Anthony Lima said as he talked about the situation with Ken Carman.

"If the Guardians go to the postseason…"

"It's nowhere near the measuring stick it used to be, but this'll be yet another year where they've been counted out and they figured it out."

➡️ @KenCarman and @SportsBoyTony on the #Guardians 6th-straight win pic.twitter.com/nZhsekAEZD

— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) August 26, 2026

This is exactly why the season lasts 162 games, so we have a better chance of seeing the best teams prevailing in each division and in the fight for the Wild Card slots. Good teams can compete in spurts, but great ones have the depth and talent around the organization to stay competitive for weeks, even months.

Cleveland still has a lot to prove, but spirits are high after coming back from five runs behind on Tuesday in Los Angeles. The pitching staff has been magnificent, and the lineup has gotten some much-needed help via deadline acquisitions and the return to form of Steven Kwan and, to a lesser extent, Jose Ramirez.

As Lima says, the Guardians have figured it out. The challenge will now be keeping up this level for a few more weeks, but they have the pieces, the mindset, and the motivation to do that and more.