The Cleveland Guardians have had a horrible second half, with a 15-20 record. However, things are starting to trend in the right direction, as the team has won five consecutive games and six of their last seven.
Yes, the resurgence has mostly happened against poor teams such as the San Francisco Giants, the Colorado Rockies, and the Los Angeles Angels, but they all count the same. The Guardians have to beat the teams that are in front of them, and lately, they have done a solid job.
After winning on Monday in LA, the Guardians finally took their record back to .500, at 66-66. The recent run of form has everybody in the clubhouse buzzing, and that includes one of the spiritual leaders of the squad: catcher Austin Hedges.
Hedges has contributed not just his usual defensive excellence behind the plate, but a really solid offensive game, too. He is hitting a cool .270/.338/.397 with five homers and a 109 wRC+: he hasn’t been above the league-average offensive threshold in any of his previous 11 seasons as a major leaguer.
Hedges said that the Guardians are ‘right where they want to be’.
“We’re right where we want to be. You know, a week and a half ago probably wasn’t the same thought, but that’s how quickly it happens. Now we got to hold it. Now we got to keep going. A lot of season left. Every game’s a playoff game from here on out,” Hedges said, per Mason Horodyski.
(Via #Guardians audio) Austin Hedges to reporters in LA on the feeling in the clubhouse after Cleveland’s 5th straight win putting them closer to striking distance in the AL Central:
“We're right where we want to be. You know, a week and a half ago probably wasn't the same…
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) August 25, 2026
Hedges was spot-on with his analysis, but one phrase stood out: ‘every game’s a playoff game from here on out’. Yes, the Guardians are finally back to .500, but they can’t take their foot off the gas just yet. They have a golden chance of taking control of the AL Central, as they currently stand just 2.5 games behind the Chicago White Sox.
Last year, the Guardians had a September to remember and regained the division lead very late in the season. They have had to come from behind this season, too, but right now, the challenge should be treating every game like a high-stakes postseason matchup. Mentally, it’s exhausting, but only those who are strong will eventually prevail.
NEXT: Guardians Among Biggest Risers In Latest Power Rankings
