TROPICANA FIELD (St. Petersburg, Fla.) – The Guardians improbably defeated the Rays in Game 1 of the ALCS and, immediately afterward, there was nothing short of organized chaos in the visiting clubhouse.
David Guetta’s remix of “Love Is Gone” played over the club’s speaker system. While several Guardians players were rocking their lockers to the upbeat music, most of the room was focused on the NFL game between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams, which was playing on multiple televisions in the clubhouse. Several players, holding their green bottles of Presidents, stood in front of the television to watch the end of regulation. Others sat at a small table and laid out their dinners after their massive 7-3 win against Tampa Bay on Monday night.
Among all the moving parts in the Guardians’ loud winning club, designated hitter Jo Adell was one of those in reserve. His back turned to the chaos behind him, Adell sat down in his closet and neatly gathered all his belongings. Before facing the swarm of reporters immediately behind him, he hurried to the nearest trash can to dispose of the gum. A Guardians PR representative told Adell that this was professional.
Adell’s small gesture of courtesy stood out because most of the Guardians club is made up of young and untried athletes. Those young players rely on battle-scarred veterans like Adell, who joined the team at the Aug. 3 trade deadline, to teach them what it takes to win. It’s part of the reason why the most important moves of the Rangers’ comeback win against the Rays were actually made two months ago.
Jose Ramirez scores for the Guardians. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
This past summer, the Guardians broke away from their usual cautious approach to the trade deadline and acted as aggressive buyers. While these weren’t the biggest changes to the key players they gained, it was a much-needed change of approach that strengthened their batting, rotation and lineup. The final three pickups — first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, right fielder Foster Griffin and Adell — played big roles in Monday’s win.
“Those guys have been unbelievable clubhouse guys,” Guardians right fielder Chase DeLauter told me after their win. “No, Nate, Griffin, they’ve all been great guys and veteran leaders. Those are the guys that we listen to and see how they go about their business. They’re super professional, whether things are going well or not, and I think that’s a big thing for the rest of the guys to see, including me, being younger. See how they do. Having those guys lead us is special.
Nathaniel Lowe was a mid-season signing that has strengthened the Guardians. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Lowe capped Cleveland’s comeback with a two-run single in the eighth inning Monday night. He was traded from the Reds to the Guardians on August 3, minutes before the deadline day bell rang. He was their final acquisition on a busy day for Cleveland, which felt it might have lost Loe by taking so long to finalize a deal. The Guardians sent young right-hander Alejando Rivera to Cincinnati in favor of Lowe’s postseason acumen.
Lowe, who won a championship with the 2023 Texas Rangers, understands what it takes to go the distance. And, at 31, he may not be considered a veteran by baseball’s traditional definition, but Lowe is the second-oldest player in the Guardians’ position behind third baseman Jose Ramirez. That stature has allowed him to share his wisdom with a room full of younger players.
“I’ve been competing against these guys for such a long time now,” Lowe said. “Whether you know them off the course or playing golf together or hanging out with friends of friends, it’s such an easy group to get along with. These guys have been great. They’ve been very welcoming. I feel like I’ve had a lane to go out and learn a little bit as I continue to improve myself.”
In the top of the ninth inning, Adell added the needed insurance runs to the plate with a two-run double to left field that scored Ramirez and DeLauter to give Cleveland a big 7-3 lead. Adell, like Lowe, was another trade deadline acquisition for the Guardians, who sent catching prospect Jacob Cozart to the Angels in exchange for a big bat.
Adell was coming off a 2025 campaign for Los Angeles. He recorded a 115 OPS+ and hit 37 home runs and collected 98 RBI for the Angels last year. Although the 27-year-old didn’t repeat those outstanding numbers in the first half of this season, the Guardians were still interested in Adell, believing the change of scenery would only help.
Cleveland was fortunate, because after the Angels fired general manager Perry Minasian in June, the arrival of interim replacement John Mozeliak helped Los Angeles actually move their attractive assets at an important trade deadline for the club. The Angels found a partner in the Guardians, and Adell’s bat was quickly injected into Cleveland’s lineup.
Although it had been a slow start to the postseason for Adell, he finally delivered his big shot in the ninth inning on Monday. It all came together in part because the rest of the lineup’s gritty mentality rubbed off on him.
The veteran presence of Jo Adell has helped the Guardians after arriving before the trade deadline. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
“It’s made me a better ball player,” Adell told me of the Guardians’ never-say-die attitude. “I’ve gotten some of the best at-bats of my career in the last two months here. Just knowing the situation and realizing that we’re just one swing away, one good at-bat away from getting a pitch to manage and make something happen. It’s been really tough baseball from the team that knows that’s what it takes to win.”
Griffin, who had a fantastic first half for the Nationals this season before being traded to the Guardians, didn’t have his best stuff against the Rays, but he still battled through four innings giving up just two runs. Cleveland gave up a four-man package for Griffin, who they believed would strengthen their rotation beyond Gavin Williams, Parker Messick and Tanner Bibee.
Foster Griffin, another key addition at the trade deadline. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
But Griffin posted a 5.19 ERA in nine regular-season starts since joining Cleveland. It was a struggle, until he came up big for the Guardians in Game 3 of the ALDS against the White Sox. Coming off the mound in the opening game, Griffin limited Chicago to one run and struck out seven batters over 2 ⅔ strong innings. The Guardians wouldn’t be where they are today without Griffin’s incredible shutout effort in Game 3, and they fully trust him to do more of the same in the ALCS against the Rays.
“Foster was incredible after a difficult start,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said.
With the players bonding and sticking to their usual routines in Cleveland’s postgame clubhouse, it looked like a group that had been playing together for several years. You’d never know so many key additions weren’t even on the Opening Day roster. It may be difficult for the contenders to mesh well with each other and learn from each other as an influx of new faces join an already tight-knit club at the trade deadline. The Guardians are just the latest example of how much it matters when it works.
