The Cleveland Guardians were not counted as a true championship contender heading into the final month of the season. The late-month surge changed all of that perception as Stephen Vogt and his men, including Austin Hedges, went 16-8 in September alone.
The Guardians clinched another AL Central title Saturday night, and Hedges made sure the celebration included a message for the fans back home.
After Cleveland’s 11-5 win over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium, the Guardians secured their third straight division crown when the Chicago White Sox lost 9-6 to Colorado. The title gives Cleveland the No. 2 seed in the American League and a first-round bye.
Hedges was in the middle of the celebration when he delivered an emphatic message to the Cleveland faithful in a video shared on X, formerly Twitter, by @REFLOG18.
“I LOVE CLEVELAND WITH ALL MY HEART BABY!!” the veteran catcher said.
The declaration matched the energy of a clubhouse that had plenty to celebrate after another wild stretch run. Cleveland trailed the White Sox by six games in mid-August before putting together a late-season surge to reclaim the division lead.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Guardians became the first team since divisional play began in 1969 to win consecutive division titles after trailing by at least six games through 125 games in back-to-back seasons.
The run came despite injuries to key players, including José Ramírez, Angel Martínez and Chase DeLauter. Manager Stephen Vogt acknowledged after Saturday’s win that his team had been running “on fumes” while navigating the difficult stretch.