The Cleveland Guardians shouldn’t be here right now.
They beat the odds not only to make the playoffs but also to win their division.
That’s why, even though they clearly know what’s at stake, they need to keep playing their brand of baseball.
That means having fun out there.
That’s the message manager Stephen Vogt shared heading into the AL Wild Card series against the Detroit Tigers.
“Our players are prepared. But we’re playing baseball. Yeah, it’s important. Absolutely. It means a lot, and we take it very, very seriously. But for four hours a day, these guys get to go be 12-year-old kids and play baseball. This is a game. Go have fun. You play at your best when you’re relaxed and having fun anyway. When you’re tight and tense, it doesn’t help anything. We all know what’s at stake, and that’s why it’s fun. Just go play baseball like you have your whole life,” Vogt said.
"Our players are prepared. For four hours a day these guys get to go be 12-year old kids and play baseball. This is a game. Go have fun. We all know what's at stake and that's why it's fun. Just go play baseball like you have your whole life."
🚨#Guardians manager Stephen Vogt⚾ pic.twitter.com/DcU3rjPmgO
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) September 29, 2025
Of course, that’s not to say that the Guardians won’t take things seriously or that they will just go through the motions, thinking that they can dominate the Tigers like they did in the closing weeks of the regular season.
But, like Vogt said, there’s no point in getting tense.
The Guardians persevered through adversity, and it paid off when it mattered most.
Now that everybody is back to even, the Guardians know they have a chance to do something special.
They were the hottest team in baseball to close the season, and that type of momentum can take a team a long way.
It’s never about how you begin the season but about how you finish it.
After winning most of their games down the stretch and pulling off an unprecedented comeback to win the AL Central, the Guardians have to like their chances against anybody.
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