With Central sealed, Guardians still showing fight

CLEVELAND -- It’s Sept. 28 with a week remaining in the regular season. The Guardians clinched the American League Central title three days ago, and they already know they’ll be hosting a Wild Card Series beginning Oct. 7 against the lowest Wild Card seed. And yet, Cleveland hasn’t come close to backing off the pedal.

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For the second straight night, the Guardians forced extra innings. This time, they came out on top thanks to a pinch-hit walk-off single by Amed Rosario in the bottom of the 10th to hand his team a 2-1 victory over the Rays on Wednesday night at Progressive Field.

“I expected that,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said when asked about his team continuing to fight after clinching a postseason berth. “I think they like to play baseball.”

The Guardians are planning to give as many of their players the appropriate amount of rest needed over the next week to be ready for the postseason. Rosario mostly had the night off on Wednesday, sitting on the bench for four hours (including the one-hour, three-minute rain delay) before smacking the clutch single. Andrés Giménez was off the previous two games to help him bounce back from the bumps and bruises he’s battling. José Ramírez was the DH on Wednesday to help him get off his feet a little more. Will Brennan got time in center field against the Rays.

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No matter who they run out there, everyone is still competing as if every win is critical. And when veterans like Rosario are setting that tone, coming off the bench in a cold, rainy game to deliver the big hit, it’s hard for the rest of the team not to follow that lead.

“We wanted to work it where if he did hit, we didn't have to put him in the game,” Francona said. “I mean, the guy plays every day. But man, pretty good pinch-hitter. He rifled that ball.”

Rosario was supposed to be the piece that didn’t necessarily fit in the Guardians’ long-term plans. He was supposed to be the below-average shortstop who was blocking the young, top prospects from the organization from getting their chances at the big league level. There were thoughts early in the season that Rosario would be moved at the Trade Deadline. But as August drew nearer, it was clear that Rosario was essential for Cleveland’s success.

Rosario has been able to play a decent enough shortstop that the negative is far from outweighing the positive of his bat. He led the offense throughout the team’s hot June, and he made it impossible for the club to part ways with him when that stretch continued through July. His results tapered off as August rolled around, but when the club needed him most during a critical stretch against the Twins and White Sox over the past two weeks, he rose to the occasion.

In his past 12 games, Rosario has hit .345 with one double, two triples and 12 RBIs to help Cleveland secure its spot in the playoffs. Stepping up in clutch situations isn’t new for him this season, as he has been responsible for three walk-off victories in 2022 (Cleveland’s three most recent walk-off wins), which is tied for the fourth-most walk-off plate appearances in the Majors. Wednesday night marked the Guardians’ 28th win in their last at-bat, surpassing the 1995 club (27 wins) for most such victories in a single season in franchise history.

Leading by example is what Cleveland’s veterans have mastered this season, especially Ramírez and Rosario. The two are best friends, rarely going anywhere without the other around the ballpark. With Ramírez’s natural ability to demonstrate the proper way of playing the game each night, Rosario has started to follow in his footsteps, being a resource for young guys on the club to learn from.

“I'm really excited to be around them and be able to learn how they play the game,” infielder Gabriel Arias said through team interpreter Agustin Rivero.

A guy who could’ve easily been a problem for this team to work around, as he blocked the next wave of young middle infielders from getting a shot in the big leagues, has suddenly become the best resource for all of them. And while he’s doing that, he’s helping lead his team to the postseason.

“Energy,” starter Triston McKenzie said, when asked what Rosario brings to the team every day. “When he's on the field there's a certain presence, and it lifts the whole team.”