Guardians Manager Reflects On Crucial 2024 Postseason Moment

In their first season under eventual 2024 American League Manager of the Year Stephen Vogt, the Cleveland Guardians reached the American League Championship Series.

This was almost not the case, however, as Cleveland trailed the Detroit Tigers 2-1 in their best-of-five American League Division Series.

In Game 4 of the set in Detroit, the Guardians led 4-3 with one out in the top of the ninth. With runners on the corners, David Fry laid down a safety squeeze bunt that drove in an insurance run. This play proved to be the game-winner, as the Tigers scored a run in the home half of the ninth. Cleveland tied the series with the victory, eventually taking Game 5 at home and advancing to the ALCS.

On Wednesday, Vogt described what went into making this decision on the Rotoworld Baseball Show podcast.

"It was definitely in the moment," Vogt said. "That whole sequence, you know, David Fry had come in in the seventh, hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer. And we had the one-run lead, [Emmanuel] Clase had just gotten three outs in the eighth, he was going back out for the ninth. And I'm like, 'Man, if we can get one more,' and you know, [Steven] Kwan gets the base hit. And as [Brayan] Rocchio's rounding second, I'm like, 'Man, we need to safety right here and get one more.' And talked through it with Craig Albernaz, talked through it with Kai Correa. And then asked David Fry how comfortable he would be putting a bunt down, he goes, 'Oh yeah, I gotcha.' So we did it."

A baseball player celebrating on one knee while wearing a gray uniform and a navy batting helmet. — Oct 10, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) celebrates after scoring a run in the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers during game four of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

While this decision was made on the spot, Vogt explained that the choice was guided by previously looking into Cleveland's analytics.

"And I think from that, it's a little bit of both," Vogt said. "Because in the moment, it's a gut-feel decision. But from all the studying and all the different, "Where's this leverage index?" all those different things. You use all that information to make those decisions. And so, while it was a gut-feel decision in the moment, a lot of that came from the education that I received from our analysts from our front office."

After a strong debut campaign, Guardians fans will hope that Vogt and his team's analytics will continue to guide Cleveland to even more success in 2025.