The Guardians stormed into the 2025 postseason on a wave of emotion and effective pitching, but were shut down by one of the American League's best pitchers in a 2-1 loss, sending them to an elimination game Wednesday afternoon.
Cleveland, which has lacked offensive potency, won an astounding 19 of the final 23 games in the regular season. In doing so, they flipped a historic 15.5 game deficit to Detroit and won the American League Central Division, stamping their ticket to the playoffs.
Along the way, they bullied and dethroned the Detroit Tigers team they now face in the Wild Card series. But Cleveland needs a win Wednesday to extend the series to a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday.
Max and Ellie Petro, from Cleveland, came to see the game with their infant son Miles.
“I guess they just don’t quit," said Max Petro on what makes this Guardians team so special. "They’re never down and out even though it looks like they’re down and out."
The Guards also played the Tigers in the postseason last year, which was baby Miles Petro’s first taste of the national pastime. His mom had a different take on what makes the Guardians unique.
“I think it’s how connected they are with the fans." Ellie said. "The electric crowd is here. Everyone is so invested emotionally; mind, body and soul, in every little detail of the game. I’ve been to other ballparks, been with other teams, just as a visitor, and there’s nothing quite like coming back home.”
The Tigers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, which is enough for a dominant pitcher like their starter for the day, reigning Cy Young award winner, Tarik Skubal, to bring home a victory.
Then in the fourth inning, in a play that seemingly portended the game’s future of robotic umpire challenges joining the league next season, the game was briefly delayed when Skubal’s dominance extended beyond batters; A foul ball off the bat of the Guardians' Angel Martinez destroyed the camera behind home plate. When play resumed, the Guardians tied the game, after a play at home plate, called out by a human umpire, was reversed on review.
But Skubal was suffocating all afternoon, striking out 14 batters over 7 and 2/3 innings, holding the Guardians to only one run. The Tigers came away with the victory, 2-1, giving them an important lead in the best-of-three series, with all game played at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
A potential hazard when playing a team from a city that’s less than 100 miles away was realized, as a healthy contingent of Tigers fans were in attendance. Some came with their friends from across the lake.
Jeff Barron, a Tigers fan from Windsor, Ontario, met Anthony Giannini, from Akron, at a rock concert 18 years ago, and they’ve been friends ever since. Getting a chance to meet up for a postseason showdown between their two beloved teams is a bonus. Barron blamed himself for the late season slide that saw the Guardians overtake the Tigers and win the division.
“When it was 15.5 [the Tigers lead over the Guardians just a month ago], I was chirping to these guys, and now here we are,” Barron said of the bad karma he believes he incurred.
Hodge Morton is a lifelong Guardians fan from Twinsburg. He watched the team quietly with his arms crossed as they battled through a close game.
“They just do the little things to win, just the little bitty things," Morton said. "Great team, good chemistry, and a good coach."
The Guardians have a lot to prove this offseason. In a Major League Baseball landscape of unlimited finances, Cleveland consistently finds a way to win without spending as much money as many of their high-powered opponents. But if they can’t crest the mountaintop and play for a World Series title, an early exit from the postseason threatens to become the Guardians ceiling for expectations.
