As of Thursday, the Cleveland Guardians are tied with the Chicago White Sox for the AL Central lead. They have a 42-39 record and are trying to navigate some key injuries, at least for a few more weeks.
Year in and year out, many analysts and fans write off the Guardians because of their failure to spend relevant money on free agents. And every season, the team exceeds expectations, often making it to the postseason and making some noise while there.
The Guardians know their resources and limitations like no other squad in the league, and they are masters of getting the best out of their players and keeping them focused on a common goal. This approach might not lead to 100-win seasons very often, but it makes them highly competitive and enables huge comebacks in the standings, which is what happened last year.
Cleveland has lost 12 of their last 18, but that epic comeback to win the AL Central is precisely what reliever Shawn Armstrong wants the doubters to remember when assessing the team’s 2026 chances and their current struggles.
“Look at what they did last year,” said Armstrong, referring to Cleveland overcoming a 15 1/2-game deficit to win the AL Central. “You know what I mean? They’re full of it. We’re banged up a little bit right now, but those guys in there, they don’t quit. Our job in the bullpen is to come in there and just try and put up zero. Again, we’re scuffling a little bit, but we’ve got a really good team.”
Yes, it’s true that injuries to Jose Ramirez, Angel Martinez, and Chase DeLauter have left the lineup incredibly decimated. And yes, it’s also a fact that the offense is highly volatile and the bullpen could use another top arm or two. However, the Guardians don’t know the meaning of the word “quit”, and they showed as much this week against the White Sox despite losing two of three.
The aforementioned trio will eventually return, probably after the All-Star break, and the team has a good chance to bring in some difference-makers before the trade deadline comes. Additionally, they have impact prospects in Triple-A. In other words, they are a threat to close out the season strong, even if the current outlook might not look promising.
As Armstrong says, the Guardians have “a really good team”. He witnessed the epic comeback last year from another organization, and is now part of a group that will do everything in its power to stay strong and competitive during tough times.
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