Cleveland Guardians: Opening Day loss will probably look like a lot of games this season

A tight, low-scoring Opening Day is likely emblematic of how plenty of games will go for the Cleveland Guardians this season.

The first-ever game for the newly minted Cleveland Guardians did not go exactly as planned, as the team dropped its opener against the Kansas City Royals by a score of 3-1.

It was a game that featured every possible type of weather, and was likely emblematic of how most games will play out for the Guardians this year. Shane Bieber pitched great, holding the Royals to one run over 4 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking none. José Ramírez, as you might expect, had the team’s lone RBI.

The offense as a whole struggled, though, going 1-for-8 with runnings in scoring position. And Amed Rosario, still trying to find his way in left field, misplayed and dropped a fly ball that ultimately led to a run being scored.

A game like this – tight, low-scoring, with little margin for error – is likely how many Guardians games will play out this year, and the team simply has to take advantage of clutch situations when they present themselves. That being said, this is the smallest of sample sizes and it’s always hard to not overreact to whatever happens on Opening Day. That also being said, guys like Myles Straw and Steven Kwan – aside from Ramírez too, of course – look locked in to start the year.

By not doing, well, anything to improve the lineup this past offseason, it’s no surprise the Guardians are going to find themselves in these types of tight games. A defensive miscue or an inability to score just one run when you’ve got a rally brewing – these are the things that will haunt this team. They’re simply not good enough at the moment to cover up most of their mistakes and will need to play near-flawless baseball if they want to even think about being a .500 club or better.

The good news is, a brand-new game, and a chance to change the season’s narrative, awaits.