CLEVELAND — The American League Championship Series pits two small-market, low-budget franchises against each other, and neither complains about baseball’s unbalanced economy; they just keep winning.
The Cleveland Guardians have the lowest payroll in the Major Leagues yet are two wins away from meeting the National League champion Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series. The Guardians lead the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 in the American League Championship Series, and Game 4 is set for Saturday night at Progressive Field after being postponed on Friday night because of inclement weather.
Shawn Armstrong (2-1, 4.58) will open for the Guardians in Game 4, facing Nick Martinez (15-6, 3.10). Armstrong has a unique perspective on the two ALCS participants: Cleveland drafted the righty in the 18th round in 2011 from East Carolina, and he spent three seasons with the then-Indians from 2015-17 while also spending four seasons with the Rays from 2021-24.
Guardians' Shawn Armstrong has seen small-market success from both sides
The Guardians are in the postseason for the eighth time in 11 years and have won three straight AL Central titles. Following a two-year absence, the Rays are back in the playoffs for the sixth time in eight years.
So how do the Guardians and Rays keep beating the low-payroll odds?
“I mean, I can say it in one word: culture,” Armstrong said. “Like, you come to the ballpark every day, and you expect to win when you take the field.”
Yet Armstrong can also point to other reasons for Cleveland and Tampa Bay's success.
“As far as front office to coaching staff, the individualization they give to each player and the attention to detail they do to each player, it's hats off to both orgs,” Armstrong said. “I've been very fortunate to spend quite a bit of time with both organizations. It's like I said, coming into the series, it's going to be a bloodbath."
“Both teams can pitch. Both teams know how to play small ball. Both teams know how to steal bases. And both teams are going to play defense. I think you compare both orgs on paper, what they've done, and the history they've built; it's a good battle to have in the ALCS. We're thankful to be here. So are they.”
Mindset matters for Guardians, Rays amid ALCS chaos
Armstrong will get his chance to contribute when he opens Game 4. Manager Stephen Vogt has opted to pitch Armstrong first, though he made all 41 of his regular-season appearances in relief.
However, Armstrong doesn't fear being overamped. He is 36 and has pitched for eight teams in his 12-year MLB career.
Plus, the Guardians aren’t the kind of team to get too wrapped up in the emotions of the moment. Cleveland kept their poise in the ALDS, falling behind the Chicago White Sox 2-0 before rallying to win the series in five games.
“I think that's a testament to Cleveland's front office, the culture that they build,” Armstrong said. “Everybody in that locker room, nobody gets too high, nobody gets too low. We went into Chicago after losing two; no one blinked. It wasn't like, oh, man -- we knew we had to win. We know what's at stake. We know what's there.
“But I think cumulatively, as a group, we rely on one another to pick each other up and also pull each other down. We don't get too high. We don't really have that a lot in that locker room. Everyone's even-keeled, everyone relies on one another, and it's a brotherhood in there.”
The Rays often talk about clubhouse culture being a key to their success. Both teams will take whatever edge they can gain, including mentally. However, don’t say the ALCS is a convention of overachieving players, a narrative some circles espouse.
“I do think they're very similar organizations run by very good people, very smart people that have to get creative with resources and have to get creative with coaching and having analysts and different things like that,” Armstrong said. “But these are two very talented and very good baseball teams. You don't get here by accident. It's fun to play against a good baseball team like that because we both absolutely deserve to be here.”
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