The Cleveland Guardians began their 2024 campaign with modest expectations from analysts, evidenced by a mere 33.4 percent playoff probability from FanGraphs. This skepticism stemmed not only from their sub-.500 finish the previous year but also from transitioning to a rookie manager, Stephen Vogt. Contrary to doubts, these challenges galvanized the team's determination and became a central narrative of their season.
The pivotal moment came in a dramatic 3-2 win over the Twins in extra innings, a victory emblematic of their season's resilience and knack for clutch performances. This victory not only secured their playoff berth but also underscored the team's transformation under Vogt's leadership.
As the regular season winds down, the Guardians are laser-focused on securing home-field advantage for the playoffs. They currently are 4.5 games ahead of the Houston Astros for the No. 2 seed.
Barring something crazy happening over the final week, they all but assured themselves a first-round bye, avoiding the wild card round. This marks the Guardians' second AL Central division title in three years.
[
Collection
]
[
|
...
]