Disappointing display by Guardians in doubleheader loss to division rival Royals

So it's come to this. The Cleveland Guardians' margin for error has gone from robust to comfortable to razor-thin and now, microscopic. There was a chance for the Guardians to extend their lead in the American League Central on Monday with a doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals, but it was not their day. The Guardians dropped both games against Kansas City, and their lead in the division now sits at just one game.

It was right to exercise caution heading into Monday's two-game slate with the Royals, considering that both teams have been on opposite trajectories for quite some time. Cleveland has struggled to find consistency since the All-Star Break, while Kansas City has been surging. Not too long ago, it appeared that the Royals were going to be a complete afterthought in the AL Central race, but not any longer. The Royals are indeed a legitimate threat, and the events that transpired yesterday prove that and then some.

The situation at hand would be a lot more encouraging if the Guardians were able to take one of either game on Monday. It is not like they did not have the opportunity to do so, either. Cleveland took early leads in both contests and tied the game late when needed to put them in a position to win, but they just could not come through. These are the types of situations that this team needs to take advantage of if they are going to win the division and make a run in the postseason. Failing to do so at this time is a massive blow to their morale and chances to do so.

While admittedly, this does sound like the panic alarm is sounding, and everyone should worry about this team's chances moving forward. Rest assured, that is not the case. The panic alarm is not going off, and the panic button has not been pushed at this time. However, acknowledging that the panic button does exist seems appropriate right now. The Guardians' overall track record this season is simply too good to dismiss them as an also-ran or non-contender. There is still plenty of time to right the ship, and if not, further measures with the aforementioned panic button may need to be taken.