Rebounding in Game 2 is an absolute must for the Cleveland Guardians

Before the ALCS began, there was this feeling that the Cleveland Guardians would not win Game 1 in The Bronx, and unfortunately, that is exactly what happened. The New York Yankees struck first and took the first game of this series by a score of 5-2. While this series is far from over, going down two games to none would certainly stack the odds against them even more than they already are.

The Guardians came out flat in this first game in New York, and that was somewhat expected, to be honest. An emotional rollercoaster against the Detroit Tigers saw both teams experience the highest of highs and lowest of lows. This team is clearly recovering from their previous series, and the short turnaround from Game 5 of the ALDS and Game 1 of the ALCS was likely to produce a result like this.

Now, this may seem like an excuse, but let's be clear, it is not. It is simply understanding how and why things played out in this manner and that losing Game 1 was not necessarily all that surprising. Though this loss may seem like a gut punch, it is not enough to keep this team down yet. The Guardians have proven to be a resilient team capable of overcoming adversity all season long, and that is the task they have in front of them for Game 2.

It is not going to be easy by any means for Cleveland in this second game in New York. The Yankees will have their ace Gerrit Cole on the mound, and he has plenty of experience of being in this exact spot. Cole is one of the best pitchers in the game, and it is going to require the Guardians to be able to match him and anyone else who follows for the entire contest. This may be their toughest test yet of this entire season, and having to hyperfocus to keep up with the Yankees may be exactly what they need to get back on track.

Even if the Guardians do not win this game, there is a way that this game can still be beneficial. If their offense, mainly the key bats in their lineup who have mostly struggled so far in this postseason run, show some signs of life, it could put them on a trajectory for this series to turn in their favor once the teams begin to play in Cleveland. Having an offense on the cusp of busting out about to play in their own crowd may be the catalyst that shifts this series in their favor. However, in order to get to that potential outcome, they will need to perform better on Tuesday night in The Bronx.