Monday's Loss Puts Guardians Further Behind Top Spot in AL Central

This current series against the Chicago White Sox will have a heavy deciding factor in the race for the AL Central pennant.

Sep 14, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) steals second as Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery (12) bobbles the ball during the sixth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cleveland Guardians have been slowly closing in on division leading Chicago White Sox over the course of the past two weeks but fell short to them in their series opener on Monday.

It’s safe to say that this game could have been much closer had the Guardians not given up six runs in the sixth inning. Unfortunately, that stuff happens from time to time, but it was enough to put the game out of reach and give Chicago the win.

Either way, this doesn’t spell doom for the Guardians by dropping the first game of the series. It certainly backs them up an extra game from the division lead though, making Tuesday’s game a must-win for Cleveland.

Sep 14, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) is forced out at home plate by Cleveland Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey (16) during the fourth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Not only does their loss complicate the division race, but it also complicates the wild card race as well with the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros knocking on Cleveland’s door.

If the Guardians want to keep widening the gap in the race for the wild card and resume their pursuit of the AL Central, winning this series is crucial. Here’s what Cleveland can do to ensure they win the next two games against the White Sox.

Foster Griffin needs to be lights out on the mound in game two

Sep 9, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Foster Griffin (22) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Guardians will roll out Griffin in game two against Chicago, which might worry fans knowing how disappointing he’s been since Cleveland traded for the All-Star pitcher at the trade deadline.

Griffin does have the third best win to loss record, but that doesn’t speak to the rest of his lackluster statistics compared to the rest of the league. His 3.5 strikeout average per game just won’t cut it especially against a high-powered offense like the White Sox. 

He also gives up four or more hits per outing and hasn’t held a team scoreless since joining the Guardians. It just hasn’t been a great start to Griffin’s tenure in Cleveland, but now is the time for him to turn it around.

Cleveland’s bullpen has shown they’re more than capable of taking the reins for their starting pitcher to close out the game. If Griffin can throw a quality five innings, their relief pitchers can come in to take care of business the rest of the way.

Keeping the White Sox off the bases is key for the Guardians, especially with Chicago having a knack for hitting home runs. Cleveland can’t get caught up with loaded bases, and if that happens, finding a way to get out of the inning unscathed has to be a top priority.

Chicago will roll out Davis Martin as their starting pitcher tonight, which is a favorable matchup for Cleveland’s offense. Progressive Field should be packed even for a Tuesday evening game, so the Guardians need to keep the bats alive to tie up the series heading into Wednesday.