The 2025 Cleveland Guardians have been through it all: trades of core players, losing two key bullpen arms to gambling investigations, and sitting below .500 at the All-Star break. Yet, here they are in late September, right in the thick of the playoff race.
In this episode, we break down the Guardians’ journey step by step:
A look back at Cleveland’s postseason DNA and their history of late-season runs.
The offseason moves that shook up the roster included trading Josh Naylor and Andrés Giménez and signing veterans like Carlos Santana and Paul Sewald.
A first half filled with inconsistency and setbacks, capped by the suspensions of Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase.
The bold decision to trade Shane Bieber and Paul Sewald at the deadline — moves that looked like subtraction, but fueled growth.
How Stephen Vogt’s steady leadership, daily focus, and the Guardians’ investment in mental performance coaching have kept this team locked in.
The Guardians’ story is a reminder that adversity is inevitable — in baseball and in life. What matters most is how you respond, how you show up every day, and how you lead through the chaos.
As Cleveland pushes toward October, they’ve proven that resilience beats panic, and that growth happens when you focus on the task in front of you.
