It’s that time of year again — the Guardians are on another quest for the American League Central Division title, despite many believing they aren’t strong enough to succeed.
Oddsmakers forecasting MLB standings predict the Guardians will miss the postseason, echoing similar predictions for 2024 and 2025, which turned out to be incorrect.
According to FanGraphs, a reliable source for baseball analytics, the Guardians are projected to finish fourth in the Central Division, trailing behind the Tigers, Royals, and Twins, while only surpassing the White Sox. They have been given a 13.3% chance of making the playoffs and a mere 0.2% chance of winning the World Series.
Conversely, DraftKings shows the Guardians more favorably, setting their over/under win total at 80.5, compared to the Tigers at 83.5 and the Royals at 81.5. Last year, Covers.com had a similar prediction for them but they ultimately surprised everyone by finishing with an 88-74 record to clinch the division.
Despite having the lowest win total among last year’s division champions and being outscored by the Tigers, the Guardians had a remarkable September, scoring 124 runs while going 20-7, the best record in both leagues. Manager Stephen Vogt is counting on the young players who helped overturn a 15.5-game deficit to maintain their momentum, as the offseason saw no major free-agent acquisitions.
With the Cactus League opener against the Reds approaching on February 21, several key players are set to make an impact. Chase DeLauter aims to secure a starting spot, while catcher Bo Naylor, who played a pivotal role in the late season surge, needs to continue his strong performance. Others like Nolan Jones and Travis Bazzana are under pressure to prove their worth in spring training.
As for the pitching, the rotation looks solid with Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee at the top, and Slade Cecconi is being watched closely after learning from pitching coach Carl Willis. Single-game tickets for the 2026 season go on sale at 10 a.m. on February 16, and all tickets will require mobile entry through the MLB Ballpark app.
Did You Know?
Here are some fun facts I found: Alaska is the only state name that fits on one keyboard row; a human has 629 muscles, while caterpillars boast about 4,000. Saturn has 274 moons, the most in our solar system. Surprisingly, only male turkeys gobble. Additionally, food can’t be tasted until mixed with saliva, and the official state animal of California is the Grizzly Bear, which has been extinct in the state for over a century due to hunting.
