Cleveland Guardians Running Out Of Time To Break MLB's Longest World Series Drought

After losing Game 3 of the ALDS 3-0 and being held scoreless for a second straight game, the Cleveland Guardians are on the brink of elimination and facing a 2-1 deficit to the Detroit Tigers.

Oct 9, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan (38) reacts after the fifth inning during game three of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

As David Fry’s screaming line drive was snared by a leaping Matt Vierling at third base, you could almost hear the groans 100 miles away back on the shores of Lake Erie.

The Guardians trailed 3-0 with two on and two away in the top of the 7th inning. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch summoned 29-year old fireballer Will Vest from the bullpen to try and keep Cleveland’s offense off the board.

Fry worked a good at bat against arguably Detroit’s best relief arm, but his 102 mile per hour rocket to third base ended yet another Guardians’ potential rally. Batted balls with that velocity and trajectory carry an expected batting average of .800.

Matt Vierling gets up to make an incredible grab and strand two 🤯 pic.twitter.com/fat158Qq3j

— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2024

Such has been the story for the Cleveland Guardians since the first inning of Game 1 in the ALDS against Detroit.

After running their scoreless drought to a postseason club record 20 consecutive innings, the Guardians sit on the brink of elimination with their World Series dreams on life support.

And yet while it’s always a bit of a shock to the system when you realize you’re one loss away from going home, the Guardians weren’t panicked postgame.

“I think it's just the type of players that they have brought in and drafted,” Will Brennan said afterwards. “A lot of us have been overlooked our entire life, so just the way we play the game, play the game hard and it's going to take 27 ounce to beat us.”

Brennan’s role on Wednesday was an interesting one.

He got the nod at the team’s starting right fielder, but Jhonkensy Noel pinch-hit for him before he ever got a chance to bat in the top of the second inning.

In fact, that was just the first of a flurry of moves that Guardians’ manager Stephen Vogt made throughout the game - including a couple early offensive changes.

“Yeah, we kind of knew in the back of our minds that they could have done that and given the situations that we were in, they were high leverage,” Vogt said of the Tigers using Keider Montero for only the first six pitches of the game before turning to their bullpen. “So we thought that was the opportunity to take our shot, both with Noel and Fry coming up on the back end. Those were high-leverage situations, chance for us to get the matchup, and we just didn't come through.”

Oct 9, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Eli Morgan (49) is relieved by Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt (12) in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers in game three of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Playoff baseball is played differently, for sure. Teams use their bullpens much differently than during the 162-game grind. October is a bit unconventional, dramatic and over-scrutinized.

Vogt spoke confidently of his decisions postgame, saying the team is extremely thorough in its preparations - even for bizarre situations like the ones presented on Wednesday. He said nothing A.J. Hinch did caught the Guardians off guard and ultimately the choices Cleveland made didn’t quite work out. But he also acknowledged that when you’re playing from behind, you can get a little handcuffed late in the game.

“Outside of maybe a couple at-bats, I felt like we had the advantage in almost every situation today,” Vogt continued. “We had traffic going. I thought we did a great job setting the table. We just weren't able to come up with a big hit.”

That’s for sure.

It wasn’t for a lacking of putting well-hit balls in play. But for whatever reason, the Guardians offense has gone ice cold in the chilly October air.

Oct 9, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor (22) loses his helmet as he hits a single against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning during game three of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

After a 5-run outburst in the opening inning of the series last Saturday, the Guardians have managed two measly runs on 12 hits in the 26 subsequent innings. That includes an historic scoreless drought and a 0-for-8 showing Wednesday with runners in scoring position.

“Yeah, I mean it's obviously just a short sample size,” Fry said postgame of the Guardians offensive skid. “Obviously the playoffs, it's a lot more magnified. I think guys have hit balls hard. I mean just like that last little stretch, Jose (Ramirez) goes to the warning track, Naylor’s line drive to center, just balls aren't really falling. But I think if we keep putting together good at bats that things will go our way.”

It’s not as if they couldn’t put the ball in play. Actually, the Guardians out-hit the Tigers for the second time in three games in this series. Perhaps that’s more of a nod to Cleveland’s pitching staff than anything.

But that clutch, October-legend-defining hit that would open the floodgates just hasn’t come.

Perhaps Thursday will bring better fortunes.

Cleveland won’t have an easy road. They’ll hand the ball to Tanner Bibee with hopes that he can have a special performance, realizing that it will be the sixth time he faces the Tigers this year. 

Detroit will surely be rocking, as it was in front of the largest postseason crowd in Comerica Park history. Game 3 was Detroit’s first postseason home game since October 5, 2014 (3,657 days ago), and the Blue and Orange-clad crowd roared all afternoon.

Detroit Tigers fans cheer on against Cleveland Guardians at Game 3 of ALDS at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

History won’t be on their side either. According to MLB’s Sarah Langs, in best-of-5 postseason series tied 1-1, the Game 3 winner has gone on to take the series 45 of 62 times (73 percent). Further, under the current 2-2-1 format, teams leading 2-1 and playing Game 4 at home have won the series 25 of 31 times (81 percent). Of those 25 series wins, 18 came at home in Game 4.

But isn’t postseason baseball all about rewriting history?

Cleveland hasn’t won an elimination game since Game 6 of the 1997 World Series against the Florida Marlins.

If you recall that night, starting pitcher Chad Ogea helped his own cause with a 2-run, bases loaded single in the second inning to give the Indians the lead. If Cleveland wants to play a Game 5 back at Progressive Field on Saturday, the Guardians are going to have to muster some similar magic - even if it comes from an unlikely source.

It’s pretty unlikely Tanner Bibee will grab a bat on Thursday, but stranger things have happened.

Anything to keep on playing, even just one more day.