Nobody really expected the Cleveland Guardians to be the last AL Central team standing in October. Honestly, the 2024 season felt like a "wait and see" year with Stephen Vogt taking over the dugout for the legendary Terry Francona. But then the mid-season happened. The bullpen became an absolute fortress. Suddenly, Cleveland wasn’t just a "nice story"; they were a 92-win juggernaut with a first-round bye.
If you're looking back at the guardians playoff schedule 2024, you're essentially looking at two very different stories. One was a gritty, intra-division fistfight against the Detroit Tigers that went the distance. The other was a heavyweight clash with the New York Yankees that proved just how thin the margin for error is when you’re chasing a pennant.
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The ALDS Battle: Guardians vs. Tigers
Because Cleveland clinched the AL Central and secured the number two seed, they skipped the Wild Card stress entirely. They sat at home, watched the Tigers upset the Astros, and waited. When things finally kicked off on October 5, it felt like the city was holding its breath.
The guardians playoff schedule 2024 for the Division Series looked like this:
- Game 1 (Oct 5): Cleveland absolutely dismantled Detroit at Progressive Field. A 7-0 blowout. Lane Thomas made his presence felt early, and the pitching staff didn't give the Tigers an inch.
- Game 2 (Oct 7): This was a reality check. Kerry Carpenter hit a massive three-run homer off Emmanuel Clase in the ninth. Tigers won 3-0.
- Game 3 (Oct 9): Moving to Detroit, the bats went cold. Another 3-0 loss. Cleveland was suddenly staring at elimination.
- Game 4 (Oct 10): The David Fry Game. Down to their final few outs, Fry hit a pinch-hit, two-run blast that saved the season. They scraped by with a 5-4 win.
- Game 5 (Oct 12): Back in Cleveland. Lane Thomas hit a grand slam off Tarik Skubal—the likely Cy Young winner—and the Guardians punched their ticket to the ALCS with a 7-3 victory.
It’s kinda wild to think about how close they came to a quiet exit. If Fry doesn't hit that ball in Game 4, the entire narrative of Vogt's first year changes. Instead, they headed to the Bronx.
ALCS Heartbreak: The Yankees Series
The momentum from the Detroit series was high, but the New York Yankees are a different beast. The guardians playoff schedule 2024 took a turn for the difficult starting October 14.
Cleveland dropped the first two games at Yankee Stadium (5-2 and 6-3). Returning home for Game 3 on October 17, we saw perhaps the greatest game in Progressive Field history. Jhonkensy Noel—"Big Christmas" himself—hit a game-tying home run with two outs in the ninth. Then, David Fry (again!) hit a walk-off homer in the tenth. The stadium was literally shaking.
But the joy was short-lived. Game 4 was a back-and-forth nightmare that Cleveland lost 8-6. By Game 5 on October 19, the gas tank was empty. Despite a valiant effort, a Juan Soto home run in the tenth inning ended the Cleveland dream with a 5-2 loss, giving the Yankees the series 4-1.
Why the 2024 Postseason Still Matters
Even though it didn't end with a parade down Euclid Avenue, the 2024 run redefined the team's identity. We saw Steven Kwan turn into a postseason hitting machine, batting over .400 for a significant chunk of the playoffs. We saw the "Cade Smith, Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis" trio prove that you can build a winning team from the bullpen out.
Basically, the 2024 schedule showed that the Guardians' window isn't just opening—it's wide open. They proved they can handle the pressure of Game 5s and the bright lights of New York.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
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- Review the Box Scores: If you want to see the pitching efficiency, check the situational stats for Cade Smith and Tim Herrin across the 10 postseason games.
- Watch the Highlights: Search for Lane Thomas’s Game 5 grand slam and Jhonkensy Noel’s Game 3 home run to relive the loudest moments of the year.
- Prep for 2025: Keep an eye on the development of Travis Bazzana and the returning starting pitchers like Shane Bieber, as the 2024 playoff experience will be the foundation for the next run.
The 2024 season wasn't a fluke. It was a blueprint.