The Gritty Guards: Cleveland's Historic Comeback

The 2025 AL Central Champions, courtesy of MLB

This season has been an absolute rollercoaster ride for the Cleveland Guardians. And it hasn’t been just any rollercoaster: it’s the Top Thrill Dragster. 

Trading several star players, a midsummer 10-game losing streak, two pitchers getting suspended, and a 15.5-game deficit. Nothing seemed to be going the Guardians’ way this season.

But nothing seemed to stop the Guardians once the calendar page turned to September, no matter how far away dreams of October seemed.

Like any season for any baseball team, the Guardians experienced highs and lows, bumps and changes, walkoffs and blowouts. But when those lows hit, they were really low. Even the most optimistic of fans struggled to see how the team could achieve what we've all been waiting to see for the first time since 1948 when it seemed like everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong. But they say the MLB season is a marathon and not a sprint for a reason, and the Guardians held on even when it felt like all hope was lost, because when there’s a will there’s a way. 

And when there’s a will, there’s always José.

Courtesy of the Cleveland Guardians

José Ramírez is the GOAT and Cleveland’s heart and soul. It’s hard to express just how grateful we are as fans to have him in Cleveland, and we know he loves the city and team as much as we all do. Ramírez is a leader on and off the field, and when it felt like the baseball gods were always against us, we could trust him to guide the Guards and keep any momentum going. He was as dominant as ever this season, and became the fifth player in MLB history to record three or more 30/30 seasons. He’s a big reason why the Guardians were able to keep moving forward amidst adversity and against odds like they did.

And Ramírez was not alone. The Guards rallied together to show up big for The Land.

Perhaps the most important move of the 2025 MLB trade deadline wasn’t a move that was made at all, but rather Cleveland’s decision to keep fan favorite three-time Gold Glove winner Steven Kwan. Kwan is one of the smartest players in the league, playing chess, not checkers. Without him setting the tone by leading off or making Superman catches in the outfield, the Guardians’ place in the standings would look a lot different. Just like we all predicted in the afternoon of the trade deadline, Kwan will play in the playoffs this year.

In need of another power bat in addition to Ramírez, the Guards had an answer already on the team: second-year first baseman/designated hitter Kyle Manzardo. He’s taken on the cleanup role and is right behind Ramírez on the team’s home run leaderboard. Manzardo's bat is valuable and dares any pitcher who walks Ramírez before him.

The Guardians also found surprise heroes in second baseman Brayan Rocchio, who became one of the hottest offensive players in the second half and had a monster walkoff homer in the last game of the regular season, and catcher Bo Naylor, who had himself a September (or “Botember,” according to Guards Twitter) and tore through AL Central opponents.

It wasn't just the offense that kept the Guardians climbing to the top of the AL Central. Cleveland’s starting rotation of ace Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee, Slade Cecconi, Logan Allen, and rookies Joey Cantillo and Parker Messick went lights out, especially in the last month of the regular season, in which they recorded the best ERA in the majors. The Guardians also have a dominant back end of the bullpen with rookie Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis, and Cade Smith who took on the closer role with confidence and grit.

Courtesy of the Cleveland Guardians

In a true team effort, the Cleveland Guardians demonstrated strength and resiliency through countless challenges and setbacks to make the biggest comeback in MLB history. In September, the Guardians went on a 10-game winning streak, including a sweep of the season-long AL Central leading Tigers in Detroit, and had a record of 20-7.

And the team that once held a 15.5-game deficit became the AL Central champions with the #3 seed. 

I couldn’t be prouder of this team and to be a fan of the Cleveland Guardians. It’s time for some October Guards Ball!

If you know “Major League," you know that "there’s only one thing left to do…"

Edited by: Kelly Cassette