ST. PETERSBURG -- No one was ready for it to end. The Guardians could begin to taste a trip to the World Series.

But with a 7-3 loss to the Rays in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night, Cleveland’s 2026 season came to a close.

The Guardians were complimentary of the Rays, who erased their 2-1 lead in the ALCS to win the pennant. At the same time, Cleveland was left wondering what could have been.

“Obviously that’s a really good team over there,” catcher Austin Hedges said. “They’re headed to the World Series for a reason. But this group was prepared and ready to go every single game, every pitch. [We] didn’t quite get it done.”

On that note, let’s take a look at what the ALCS taught us about the Guardians heading into 2027.

1. The offense must take another step

The Guardians’ progression offensively is one reason they made it to the ALCS. Cleveland ranked 24th in MLB in runs scored (678) in 2026, and sixth in runs scored (245) from Aug. 1 on. But the lineup didn’t do enough against Tampa Bay.

After a 7-3 win in Game 1, the Guardians scored 11 runs across Games 2-6. The Rays hit .311 with an .878 OPS with runners in scoring position during the series. The Guardians hit .194 with a .567 OPS.

“It just seemed like when we had the hit that we wanted, runners weren’t where they needed to be. That's the name of the game,” outfielder Jo Adell said. “I give credit where credit's due. [The Rays] did a phenomenal job throwing the baseball and playing their game.

“We came up short. We weren't able to match that.”

Rookies Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana emerging was an encouraging regular-season development. The collective young talent’s continued progression, combined with José Ramírez fully moving past his left hamate surgery this winter, should provide a solid foundation next season.

But this offense has room to grow, and the Guardians should explore external options this winter to help augment it further.

2. Rotation questions

The Guardians were the lone team that had four pitchers make 30-plus starts in the regular season. While Parker Messick, Gavin Williams and Foster Griffin served as starters in the postseason, the rest of the staff didn’t exactly factor in extensively as bulk pitchers.

Griffin also made two multi-inning relief appearances. Joey Cantillo tossed five innings over four postseason relief appearances. Tanner Bibee pitched just once in the playoffs, for one-third of an inning in relief.

Whether it means anything for 2027, how Cleveland views its staff composition and any potential need behind co-aces Messick and Williams could be an interesting early offseason storyline.

Part of the postseason pitching strategy was due to the schedule. The Guardians had a first-round bye and three off-days during the ALDS against the White Sox, which allowed Messick and Williams to make two starts apiece.

Daniel Espino was an opener once in the ALDS, in a win-or-go-home Game 3. Griffin followed with 2 2/3 innings in relief. Shawn Armstrong then served as an opener twice in Games 4 and 6 of the ALCS, in part to combat Rays stars Yandy Díaz and Junior Caminero.

The pitching plan may have just been a byproduct of the high-wire nature of postseason baseball, when matching up is prevalent. There also is the fact that Williams, coming off a heavy workload in the ALDS, made just one start in the ALCS, in Game 3. He was not available to pitch on normal rest again until Game 7.

But it felt like there was an opportunity for the traditional starters to get stretched out in some capacity more than they did, to help ease the overall bullpen workload. The Guardians’ plan went in another direction in the quest to piece together 27 outs.

3. Missing Holderman

Speaking of the bullpen workload, you have to think the Guardians missed Colin Holderman. The right-hander, who emerged as a key presence in the middle innings this season, did not pitch this postseason due to right wrist tendinitis, which required surgery on Oct. 14.

Manager Stephen Vogt leaned heavily on Cade Smith and Hunter Gaddis (nine appearances each), Erik Sabrowski (eight), Armstrong and Herrin (seven) and Espino (six) in the playoffs. Granted, their workloads were in part related to some of the starters not getting extensively stretched in relief.

But beyond that, Slade Cecconi and Matt Festa (two appearances each in the ALCS) did not get much work. Holderman could have changed the calculus.

Holderman is arbitration-eligible through 2028. He could again be a major factor next season. But perhaps the Guardians look to fortify their relief corps further this winter.