The Cleveland Guardians had their fair share of ups and downs in their season-opening four-game series against the Seattle Mariners, so it seems fitting that they left it with a split and a .500 record. Starting the schedule on the road, the Guardians alternated wins and losses at T-Mobile Park.
The highs were historic, as outfielder Chase Delauter burst onto the scene by hitting two home runs in his MLB regular-season debut on Opening Day, then adding two more in the next two games. He is just the third player to ever hit three home runs in his first three games.
The lows were worrisome, as pitcher Tanner Bibee had to leave his start with some shoulder discomfort, and Gavin Williams and Slade Cecconi also struggled. The offense, which was the team’s primary concern heading into the season, was no-hit for six innings in the series finale.
After winning two close games and losing two by a combined score of 13-1, manager Stephen Vogt reacted to the series split against the Mariners, saying he was “proud” of his team.
“Obviously we would love to have won the series, but, you know, we walk away with a split to start the year. We feel pretty good. We’re playing good baseball. You know, we had a couple missed plays today, but outside of that, you know, I feel like we’re playing really good baseball these first four games. We just got to keep it rolling. And you know, we get to go to L.A. and see where we’re at … while you want to win three out of four here for sure, walking away with a split … I’m really proud of the way our guys have come out of the shoot,” Vogt said.
#Guardians manager Stephen Vogt on the end of their series in Seattle:
“Obviously we would love to have won the series, but, you know, we walk away from with a split to start the year. We feel pretty good. We're playing good baseball. You know, we had a couple missed plays…
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) March 30, 2026
Things do not get any easier for the Guardians, who continue their road trip with a three-game series against the two-time defending World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers beginning Monday. Cleveland is scheduled to face Shohei Ohtani as a starting pitcher on Tuesday.
That would be Bibee’s regular turn in the rotation after he started on Opening Day, but it is unknown if he will be able to pitch. He was deemed day-to-day after an exam on his shoulder did not reveal damage, but he may be given some extra time to recover.
Through the first four games, the Guardians are batting just .195 as a team, which has a lot to do with being completely shut down by Mariners starter Emerson Hancock on Sunday. Cleveland’s pitchers also have a less-than-ideal 5.14 ERA with eight home runs allowed.
Earning at least one win against the Dodgers could give the Guardians some momentum heading into their home opener on Friday against the Chicago Cubs.
NEXT: Guardians Make Roster Move With New Reliever
