Guardians Silence Biggest Offensive Criticism During Winning Streak

The Cleveland Guardians are the hottest team in baseball. It’s odd to get that distinction with a 17-20 record in the second half, but they have won their last seven games, so the suit fits to perfection.

On Friday, the Guardians will open a long homestand that has the potential to cement their status as a bona fide contender, with three games against the Kansas City Royals, three vs. the Toronto Blue Jays, and four more vs. the Detroit Tigers. Suffice it to say, a key stretch of the season is on the horizon for Cleveland.

The Guardians’ offense is, statistically, one of the worst in baseball this year. It lacks power, it has contact issues, and it has shown endless issues hitting with runners in scoring position.

Some of these trends, however, are starting to take a turn for the better. In recent games, namely over the course of their winning streak, the Guardians have started to rack up some hits with men on base and in scoring position, putting more runs on the scoreboard.

“The biggest complaint all season about the Guardians is their inability to hit with runners in scoring position. Well, that complaint doesn’t pertain to what they did against the Rockies and Angels. In going 6-0 against the Rockies and Angels, the Guardians hit .364 (24 for 66) with runners in scoring position and outscored the opposition, 36-17,” Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com wrote.

In the series against the Rockies and Angels, we finally saw all units on the Guardians play well at the same time. Except for a Gavin Williams’ stinker in LA, the starting pitching was amazing, and the bullpen was solid, too. The offense, perhaps the most criticized part of the 2026 Guards, also came through with some big hits with people on base.

It’s impossible to predict performance with runners in scoring position, but Cleveland was finally able to enjoy some luck on that front. A team with precious little power definitely needs to maximize run-scoring opportunities, and it’s safe to say the Guardians have done that in the last two series.

If the hits continue to fall, the Guardians might make it to October after all. Last week, when they were 61-66, it was impossible to envision that scenario.