The Cleveland Guardians have been playing so well that it might be hard to understand how they could return from a hugely successful road trip and fall flat in a holiday homecoming. But it’s exactly those circumstances that make it a little easier to take.
After starting a seven-game road trip with a four-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers, Cleveland followed that by taking two of three from the Philadelphia Phillies. It gave the Guardians 11 wins in their past 13 games and allowed them to build a 3.5-game lead in the AL Central.
So, when they were quickly overwhelmed in a 10-2 loss to the Washington Nationals on Memorial Day at Progressive Field, it could have left some people scratching their heads. But not manager Stephen Vogt.
What Vogt said after the loss matters more than the lopsided score, as he acknowledged the mistakes that led to the defeat but expressed confidence that his team is right where it needs to be.
“We need to play better than we did today. We made some mistakes, not just on the mound, we made some mistakes, but we learned from them, and we show up tomorrow ready to win. This team’s been playing really good baseball for a few weeks. We’re not gonna let one night get us down,” Vogt said.
#Guardians manager Stephen Vogt on how the team can respond moving forward following a 10-2 loss to the Nationals:
"We need to play better than we did today. We made some mistakes, not just on the mound, we made some mistakes, but we learned from them, and we show up tomorrow…
— Cade Cracas (@CracasCade) May 26, 2026
Fans may have seen this coming with Tanner Bibee on the mound for the Guardians. Though he was exceptional in his previous start, giving up just one run over eight innings at Detroit on Wednesday, that was the first time in nine starts that Cleveland won his game.
On Monday, Bibee gave up five home runs in just three innings, allowing a total of seven runs on eight hits. His record dropped to 0-7, and his ERA bounced back up to 4.57, and Vogt did not sugarcoat the poor outing afterward.
Cleveland trailed 6-0, and the bats were held in check by two Washington pitchers. The Guardians did manage seven hits and three walks, but they left just five on base, hit into two double plays, and had only two at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Thanks to their recent hot streak, the Guardians should be able to put this dud behind them. They face the Nationals again on Tuesday before the series finale on Wednesday afternoon.
Then, the Boston Red Sox visit for three games, setting the stage for a measuring-stick matchup at the New York Yankees from June 2-4.
NEXT: Guardians Make A Massive Jump In Latest Power Rankings
