Guardians 'win in the margins' as once-quiet running game gets going

CLEVELAND -- If there’s a brand of baseball that has come to be synonymous with the Guardians, it’s one in which they constantly put pressure on their opponents by wreaking havoc on the basepaths. That’s something that, in the earliest stage of the 2025 season, has been a work in progress.

The Guardians recorded just three stolen bases over their first 10 games this season, tied for the second-fewest in the Majors. For a team whose identity has featured a heavy amount of aggressive baserunning, that amounts to a slow start. But Cleveland may just be getting started.

The Guardians recorded two stolen bases on Wednesday, when their baserunning played a leading role in a 3-2 win over the White Sox at Progressive Field.

“We want to pick the right spots,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “We want to be efficient. We're not just running to run. Sometimes it takes a while to catch your stride with it. We’ve played some teams we're not very familiar with -- San Diego, Anaheim. When we play some divisional opponents, we have some better intel and we can look to take more bags.”

The Guardians have not been running much, but it’s something they have commonly done in recent seasons to help manufacture offense. Since 2021, here is where they ranked in the Majors in stolen bases.

2024: 148 (tied for 5th with the Phillies)
2023: 151 (fifth)
2022: 119 (third)
2021: 109 (third)

Aggressive baserunning is not only limited to stolen bases. It can also mean taking an extra base on a hit to the outfield, or advancing 90 feet on a fly ball, areas the Guardians have excelled in recent years. That all manifested itself in Cleveland’s latest matchup with Chicago.

Steven Kwan and José Ramírez drew back-to-back walks against White Sox starter Sean Burke in the first inning on Wednesday. After Kwan advanced to third on a Kyle Manzardo fly ball, the Guardians executed a perfect hit and run. With Ramírez in motion, Jhonkensy Noel hit an RBI single through a vacated shortstop hole. Kwan scored and Ramírez advanced to third.

Three pitches later, Burke spiked an 86.3 mph changeup that bounced no more than 10 feet away from catcher Korey Lee. Ramírez booked it for home plate and dove in safely under Burke’s tag.

Many players may not have dared trying to score on that play, but Ramírez is not like most players. He recorded 41 stolen bases last year while finishing just shy of a 40-40-40 season (39 homers, 39 doubles), and he has swiped at least 20 bags in each of the past four seasons. That moment was reflective of him as a ballplayer.

“Everyone’s running out of words to say about José,” said starter Logan Allen, who allowed one unearned run on four hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings. “He’s the best in the game for a reason. You don't really see superstars doing stuff like that. To see him make those plays and grind out runs for us, it's huge.

“It’s the reason he's our leader, and we fall behind him.”

Later, in the fourth inning, Kwan and Austin Hedges executed a double steal on a changeup in the dirt from right-hander Mike Vasil. Lee’s throw to second base bounced off shortstop Jacob Amaya’s glove, allowing Kwan to dash in standing.

Kwan said he “totally blanked” after he initially reached first base, after he was hit by a pitch on his right calf and received attention from a trainer and Vogt. Kwan didn’t anticipate Hedges taking off for third.

“But he did his homework,” said Kwan, who also recorded a game-ending outfield assist in the ninth. “I probably shouldn't have run on that one. Just trying to make it up. Korey Lee has got a really good arm back there, so if [Amaya] fielded it cleanly, he would have definitely got me. But I got lucky on that one.”

The Guardians nearly matched their season stolen-base output on that play, two of which also came on a double steal by Ramírez and Carlos Santana on Sunday against the Angels.

The baserunning game continues to be a key aspect to Cleveland’s success.

“We play fundamental baseball,” Kwan said. “We try to win in the margins any way we can. The home runs are going to come whenever they come, but we can control stolen bases, first to third, sacrifice flies, all those kinds of things. That’s really important to us.”