This story was excerpted from Tim Stebbins’ Guardians Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
CLEVELAND -- As the Guardians embark upon the final month of the regular season, they are in the mix to secure a postseason berth for the third straight year.
The Guardians (69-68) hold the third American League Wild Card spot, while also sitting three games behind the AL Central-leading White Sox (72-65). Cleveland has 25 games remaining to punch its ticket, via one path or the other.
As the Guardians make their final push, they will do so behind a strategy formulated last winter.
During the offseason, the Guardians’ brass repeatedly said it wanted to give the organization’s young talent a runway to impact the big league club. That was certainly the case on the position player front. Cleveland made few additions after its down 2025 season offensively, beyond signing first baseman Rhys Hoskins to a Minor League deal.
The Guardians’ plan included room to change course in-season, and the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline represented a bit of a pivot. Cleveland acquired outfielder Jo Adell and first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to boost an offense that has been its Achilles’ heel for stretches this season.
The Guardians rank 28th in MLB in OPS (.686), though they were markedly better in August (.722 OPS).
Adell and Lowe were sensible additions. But even with those moves, the Guardians’ success has always been tied to the guys whom they entered the season counting on. With some highs and lows, and amid unforeseen circumstances (such as an extended injured list stint for superstar José Ramírez), the young players have helped give the Guardians a shot.
Chase DeLauter should get some love in AL Rookie of the Year Award voting. He has been a lineup focal point, hitting 24 doubles and 13 home runs with an .819 OPS over 115 games. That’s his new career high at any level.
Travis Bazzana has had a learning curve since his MLB debut on April 28, from logging an .874 OPS in May (28 games) to a .566 OPS in August (22 games). Alternatively, defensively, he was better in August (+3 Outs Above Average) than he was through July (-4 OAA).
Angel Martínez has cemented himself in the Guardians' outfield mix, and Brayan Rocchio as Cleveland’s starting shortstop. Martínez has hit 13 home runs, and his .712 OPS in 94 games would be a career high. He missed five weeks through mid-July with a non-displaced left foot fracture, and then had a strong August -- hitting .324 with an .859 OPS over 22 games.
Rocchio hit .276 with a .751 OPS in 94 games before the All-Star break, and his presence loomed large after DeLauter, Martínez and Ramírez were injured on June 13. He has hit .184 with a .483 OPS in 37 games since the break.
With infielder Angel Genao (ranked as the Guardians’ No. 1 prospect, No. 29 overall by MLB Pipeline) and outfielder Petey Halpin, homegrown young players make up nearly a quarter of the Guardians’ active roster.
The cast also includes guys who are not factors right now.
Kyle Manzardo and Bo Naylor were expected to be focal points this year. The Guardians optioned Manzardo to Columbus after they acquired Lowe. They optioned Naylor to the Clippers after the May 9 trade for catcher Patrick Bailey, and then traded Naylor to the Brewers on Aug. 1
George Valera and CJ Kayfus were contributors down the stretch last season. Valera was designated for assignment on June 14 and then outrighted to Columbus. Kayfus made the Guardians’ Opening Day roster, but was optioned to Columbus on April 13. He underwent season-ending right ankle surgery on July 17.
Juan Brito played in 15 games, including his April 7 MLB debut. He was designated for assignment on Aug. 3 and traded to the Reds. Cooper Ingle had a seven-game cup of coffee in the Majors after his June 26 debut.
The Guardians went 9-19 out of the break before going 9-3 to finish August. Now, their postseason destiny is in their own hands. Their September schedule includes head-to-head matchups with fellow contenders such as the Blue Jays (Tuesday-Thursday), Orioles (Sept. 7-9) and White Sox (Sept. 14-16).
We’ll have a clearer view on Cleveland’s offseason in four weeks. It’s now up to the guys here to get the Guardians to the big dance.
“We continue to be confident in the group of guys that are there,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said over the weekend. “We feel we're capable of playing good baseball and running off a bunch of wins in a row, or at least winning more than our share.
“… Hopefully our best baseball is still in front of us."