When’s the last time the Cleveland Guardians won the World Series?

92 regular season wins. An American League Central title. And now an ALCS appearance. All in the first year post-Terry Francona. Who would've thought? Definitely wasn't me, but here we are. Of all the teams left in the picture, the fans of Cleveland have waited the longest. If you're a neutral at this point, this is the squad you should be pulling for.

First-year manager Stephen Vogt and the Cleveland Guardians are eight wins away from doing something the franchise hasn't accomplished in 76 years -- win the World Series. This was pre-Barbie and pre-credit cards. So, it's been quite a minute.

1948 to be exact -- the longest active drought without a title in baseball at the moment. Only two other ball clubs are in the midst of droughts spanning longer than 50 years.

Spearheaded by player-manager and AL MVP Lou Boudreau, the Indians, as they were known back then, took down the Boston Braves four games to two. The former basketball star was "Mr. Do it All" for the Ohio outfit that entire year. It's still to this day one of the most impressive seasons by a shortstop in MLB history. Somehow, someway, he recorded a strikeout percentage of 1.3 percent that year, per Baseball Reference. Unheard-of stuff. Oh, and don't forget he managed the team too.

It wasn't just Boudreau putting everyone in his backpack though. The 1948 Indians had five other Hall of Famers, including the great Satchel Paige and the club's most effective arm that series -- Bob Lemon.

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When's the last time the Cleveland Guardians won the World Series?

Cleveland, who denied the baseball world of an all-Boston Fall Classic in 1948, has been left heartbroken at the World Series on four occasions since. The last two were far and away the most agonizing.

Edgar Renteria's walk-off single handed the Marlins its first World Series championship in extra innings of Game 7 in 1997. 19 years later, the Chicago Cubs came back from a 3-1 series deficit to deny the city of Cleveland a second sporting world title within just a few months span. The fans could nearly taste it. That's been the story for so long: so close but yet so cigar.

To say this organization is due is putting it lightly. At some point, a breakthrough is bound to occur.

Sure, the odds aren't in its favor with the big bad New York Yankees on tap next, but there is a reason why we play the games folks. The Guards, similar to the Mets in the National League, weren't projected to be here back in March. They'll look to lean on Emmanuel Clase and the league's most consistent bullpen to punch a ticket into their seventh World Series. Keep an eye on the basepaths and the defensive side of things, too. If Cleveland walks away winners, those should be key reasons why.

Vogt and company kick off the ALCS tonight at 7:38 p.m. ET in the Bronx. Right-hander Alex Cobb takes the hill to start for the away side. The 2023 All-Star owns a 3.19 career earned run average in 20 starts vs. New York -- none of which as a member of the Guardians.