Guardians' Success an Inspiring Misfit Story In ALCS vs Yankees

The Cleveland Guardians have somehow made it all the way to the ALCS, where they will be battle the titanic New York Yankees for a spot in the World Series.

Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez (11), left, and shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) celebrates 7-3 win over Detroit Tigers at Game 5 of ALDS at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Well, the Cleveland Guardians are here.

After falling behind 2-1 in the ALDS to the red-hot Detroit Tigers, the Guardians evened the series and then won a deciding Game 5 to advance to an ALCS matchup with the New York Yankees.

For Cleveland, it's a case of "which of these things is not like the other." The Guardians, who ranked 23rd in the majors in payroll this season, are one of four remaining teams, the other three being the Yankees, the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

What do those three other ballclubs have in common? They all have gigantic payrolls, with both of the New York squads being north of $300 million and the Dodgers coming in just below $250 million.

It would take three Guardians teams to equal the Mets' payroll, this even though Cleveland actually finished with a better record than the Mets during the regular season.

So, just how did the Guardians do it? How is this Cleveland team, a club that had horrible starting pitching and spotty offense throughout the 162-game campaign, now just four wins away from making it to the World Series?

Well, shrewd front-office decisions, terrific scouting and some old-fashioned grit and determination have all served as the primary reasons. First-year manager Stephen Vogt pushing all the right buttons has been another impetus for the Guardians' magical season.

Now, Cleveland will have to face a Yankees team that has largely haunted the city in playoff baseball since 1998.

While the Guardians did oust the Yanks in the 2007 ALDS, they have lost to the Bronx Bombers in the postseason four times over the last 26 years. That includes three defeats since 2017, most recently when New York beat Cleveland in a five-game ALDS clash two years ago.

But that probably won't bother the Guardians, who have stared adversity in the face all season long and have managed to come out on top thus far.

How many times during the regular season did it look like Cleveland was about to cough up its AL Central lead, only to pick itself up off the mat and string together a bunch of impressive wins to once again create some distance? And how many times have the Guardians' alarming flaws been front and center for everyone to see, only for this group to thumb its nose at them?

Somehow, some way, Cleveland has managed to continually avert disaster.

Of course, a historically good bullpen has been the driving force behind the Guardians' success, even if Emmanuel Clase and Co. looked a bit shaky against the Tigers.

But you wouldn't look at this roster and say, "Now that's a championship contender."

Nevertheless, Cleveland is just that, as it has made it further than even the most diehard Guardians fan anticipated before the 2024 MLB season began.

Now, just imagine if Cleveland is able to topple the Yankees—the franchise that has won 27 titles—and advance to a World Series.

That would be a true misfit story, and a heartwarming one, at that.