The Cleveland Guardians had quite a successful season last year.
Not many people, perhaps not even the most optimistic fan, saw them reaching the American League Championship Series.
That kind of campaign propelled Stephen Vogt to get the nod for Manager of the Year in just his first year.
Now, the team will have a target on their backs, and the only expectation is to get better.
With that in mind, Vogt sat down with FOX 8 Sports anchor John Sabol to share his thoughts on the upcoming campaign.
When asked about his aspirations and plans for 2025, he didn’t hesitate to aim for the big prize:
“Win a World Series,” Vogt chuckled. “I think every year is different. We can look back in ’24, but we have a new team. So we have to find the new identity in spring training and roll that right into the year.”
Of course, that will be easier said than done.
The Guardians moved on from Josh Naylor and Andrés Giménez, and while the latter wasn’t much of an offensive force, it’s still challenging to shake up a lineup.
Bringing back Carlos Santana was a move that many fans welcomed with open eyes, especially after watching him dominate last season.
Nevertheless, he’s 38 years old, so maybe expecting the same kind of production next season would be wishful thinking.
The Guardians also lost two key elements in Alex Cobb and Matthew Boyd.
Hopefully, former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Luis Ortiz can fill the void, and with the Guardians’ pitching and development staff, there are reasons for optimism.
Being a contending team is difficult, but it’s even tougher to remain in contention for years.
Vogt surprised a lot of people in his first year in charge of the team.
Now, he has to prove that it wasn’t a fluke.
NEXT: 2 Guardians Members Seen At Cavs Game On Monday
