Why Cleveland Guardians fans should be optimistic after Toronto Blue Jays Game 4 win

The Cleveland Guardians pride themselves on elite starting pitching and smart baseball. That's why fans should be optimistic after Toronto's Game 4 victory.

Jun 26, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38) slides into second with a double as Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Andres Gimenez (0) is late with the tag during the first inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians made small ball popular during their playoff run this season when they erased a 15.5 game deficit to steal the American League Central division.

Famously coined “Guards Ball,” the Guardians have focused on fundamentals, base running and hitting for average even when it’s not always pretty.

During Game 4 of the World Series, the Toronto Blue Jays proved that style of baseball could actually work.

With two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers, expectations were that the Blue Jays would have an uphill battle to steal a game in Hollywood. But contributions from Ty France, Bo Bichette, Addison Barger and former Cleveland infielder Andres Gimenez were enough to seal a massive win for Toronto.

Sure, the Blue Jays got a memorable, towering blast from superstar slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but it was the scrappy hitting from roleplayers that helped score six runs in a pivotal game.

Gimenez, who played in Cleveland for four seasons, is hitting .500 with runners in scoring position since the MLB postseason started. He struggled at the plate during his last three years with the Guardians, ultimately leading to his trade last offseason.

But Gimenez delivering for the Blue Jays is proof that a small ball approach can work, even on the biggest stage. It just needs stellar pitching and timely hitting. 

During the regular season, Gimenez hit just .253 with runners in scoring position. His clutch gene has arrived for the Blue Jays once the calendar flipped to October. He only hit seven home runs all season.

Is Andres Gimenez the perfect example that #GuardsBall COULD've worked if Cleveland's front office made the right moves? #WorldSeries@p_mcguire18 explains why Gimmy should be your everyday SS.

presented by Bloodview Haunted House https://t.co/Py0NfkxQbq pic.twitter.com/ZMp2ACs99q

— The BIG Factor (@TheBIGFactor) October 29, 2025

Guerrero has been phenomenal for the Blue Jays this postseason. His bat has arrived when the team needs him most. The Guardians have a superstar like him in Jose Ramirez, a player who can come up big in massive moments. 

The parallels between the Blue Jays and Guardians are well documented. But a stellar start from former Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber gave Toronto’s offense plenty of support. All postseason, Toronto’s staff has been dominant – proving that Cleveland’s organizational backbone of starting pitching is still the smart focus moving forward.

The Guardians are currently developing their own pair of aces in Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams. But Cleveland’s lack of offense is why they were unable to advance in October for consecutive postseasons.

Especially without superstar slugger George Springer healthy, the Blue Jays are playing Guards Ball on baseball’s biggest stage and it’s working. The Guardians need to stay the course and add a few more hitters. This philosophy works and they feel so close. 

It should be abundantly clear to everybody that they need just a little bit more pop in their batting lineup and they can hang with any team in baseball.