Leading up to the 2024 Major League Baseball season, I don’t know how many people viewed the Cleveland Guardians as a contender. The club just closed the book on the Terry Francona chapter. It ranked dead least in baseball in home runs in 2023. And was now led by a beloved catcher who didn’t have much any prior managerial experience whatsoever. There were just a whole lot of questions.
As the Guardians close in on their fifth American League Central title since 2016, Stephen Vogt, the former two-time All-Star catcher, has proven himself at every turn. You can’t not give Vogt the AL Manager of the Year award for what he has done in Cleveland in such little time. Following in the footsteps of one of baseball’s most respected skippers, he’s crafting something truly remarkable both on and off the diamond.
This Guardians team isn’t one to be messed with thanks to an exceptional bullpen, among other factors. A run to the ALCS or beyond is very much in the cards, even with the odds likely not in their favor. Currently, Cleveland possesses a five-game lead over the Kansas City Royals in the AL Central with an impressive 87-64 record. Vogt’s crew is on track to win 93 games — something the franchise last did in 2019…