The Cleveland Guardians again came up short in the American League Championship Series, losing to the Tampa Bay Rays in six games after a 7-3 defeat Monday night. The Rays won the final three games to advance to the World Series, extending Cleveland's championship drought to 78 consecutive years.
Chris Antonetti, the Guardians' president of baseball operations, acknowledged the frustration with a half-smile. "I'm 0-for-28," he said. "Next year I want to make it 1-for-29. The goal is to win a World Series. We have yet to accomplish that, but we'll keep knocking on the door and find a way to make it happen."
Cleveland's offense hit just .194 with runners in scoring position, and its pitching staff was stretched thin. The team essentially used only two starters, Parker Messick and Gavin Williams, while Tanner Bibee never appeared in an LCS game after a poor September. Closer Cade Smith, untouchable early in the postseason, allowed two runs Monday, including a seventh-inning home run from Junior Caminero. The Rays credited pitchers such as ALCS MVP Freddy Peralta, who allowed only one run over 12 innings in the series.
The loss marks the third straight year and fourth in the past five that the Guardians have failed to advance past the ALCS. Cleveland has now had seven postseason tries to reach the World Series since its last appearance in 2016, and has come up short each time. Catcher Austin Hedges, a pending free agent, said he hoped Monday was not his last game in a Guardians uniform.
Source: ESPN MLB · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing