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Where the Cleveland Guardians ended up come season’s end wasn’t shocking, but the path they took to get there blew the minds of everyone. Winning the American League Central isn’t foreign to this organization; 2025 marks the third time in four years — and the sixth time in 10 years — they’ve done so. They fully embodied the mantra of getting hot at the right time, entering September with a record of 68-67 and going 20-7 in the final month to make it to October baseball. This was all while posting a negative run differential at -6. That number was worse than seven teams that missed the postseason in 2025, including the division rival Kansas City Royals. The Guardians’ roster was one of unorthodox nature for an 88-win team, as was the adversity they overcame en route to their division crown. Rumors circulated the Guardians’ camp at the deadline surrounding outfielder Steven Kwan, they dealt Shane Bieber to the Toronto Blue Jays, and, of course, there was the residual impact of the suspensions to right-handers Luis Ortiz and all-world closer Emmanuel Clase. But they won the division despite all of that. Even after losing in three games to the Detroit Tigers in the Wild Card Series, the Guardians gave their fans another special campaign to take into the winter months. Here are five takeaways to consider from one of the most bizarre seasons in recent memory. Stephen Vogt Has Been a Great Successor to Terry Francona It’s sometimes hard to pinpoint how valuable a manager is to his team’s success or failure. However, for smaller market teams, a good manager feels instrumental in putting together a strong season. Given the turbulent ride that was the Guardians’ 2025 season, Vogt had to endure more than most managers in sports do over the course of one season. Every team deals with injuries. Every team deals with the ebbs and flows of player performance. But not every team deals with losing multiple players, including their all-world closer, to a gambling controversy. When Clase was placed on paid disciplinary leave on July 28, Cleveland was 52-53. After losing that night, they went on a 36-20 run to end the season. Vogt showed that he is exceptional at his job, navigating the adversity, especially around the trade deadline, and he pushed all of the right buttons to erase a nine-game division deficit since that date. Again, Cleveland is a small-market team in how they spend their money. Someone like Vogt needs to be in sync with the roster and front office. But not all teams can replace a Hall of Fame manager like Terry Francona and not see it impact the team’s play. Since taking over, Vogt is 180-143 with a postseason series victory in two seasons. It’s still early into his managerial career, but it may be imperative that the Guardians keep him around. Cade Smith Is No Fluke, and He Might Be the Best Reliever in Baseball
