Are you paying close attention? Over the last few weeks, the Cleveland Guardians have done a fine job of eating away at the once insurmountable lead the Detroit Tigers had over them and the rest of their AL Central counterparts. Heading into Aug. 11, Cleveland is 61-56 on the campaign and winners of eight of its last 10 games. This has them within striking distance of Detroit at only six games back.
Since the All-Star Break, Cleveland is 15-7, while Detroit is only 8-13... If we want to kick it out a bit further, Detroit is in the midst of an 8-17 slide since losing its final four games heading into the Midsummer Classic. Conversely, Cleveland went 3-1 in its final four games heading into the break, resulting in the Guardians having an 18-8 mark compared to that of the Tigers. It is quite alarming!
So how is Cleveland doing this? Well, I think it starts for manager Stephen Vogt having a great sense of managing his bullpen and starting staff. He is a former big-league backstop after all. It was not that long ago he was playing for the Atlanta Braves and the Oakland Athletics behind the plate. His feel for Cleveland's pitching staff has been spot-on. All the while, the Tigers' deadline moves are not taking...
With this feel like a one-team division for the postseason, is there any chance Cleveland wins it now?
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Cleveland Guardians are quietly eating away at the Detroit Tigers' lead
Not to say this is the year for the Tigers, but if not now, when? Cleveland has emerged as Detroit's most formidable challenger in the division in recent weeks. This is a franchise that usually does a great job of finding and developing its young players before they become too expensive to hold onto long-term. Jose Ramirez is one of one, so his place on the team is an outlier and not a growing trend.
I think what we are seeing is one of the game's next great up-and-coming managers really finding his footing of late. A.J. Hinch was providing a huge boost to these young Tigers finding their stripes. Agan, they have, but they still are. Detroit was at its best in the second half of last year being a hunter as opposed to the hunted in the American League. Cleveland has a little more experience doing both.
Overall, I would still be stunned to see the Guardians catch the Tigers in this increasingly tight divisional race. There will be a regression to the mean at some point for the Guardians. That being said, we may have already seen the Tigers play their best baseball of the season. They got off to a fast start, but there is a chance they may have peaked too soon. This will happen every so often.
In the meantime, Vogt is showing what kind of positive effect good management can have on a team.