The Cleveland Guardians saved their season on Thursday with a clutch 5-4 victory on the road against the Detroit Tigers in Game 4 of the American League Division Series. With the win, the Guardians earned themselves another chance to stay alive. The two teams will settle things for good on Saturday in Cleveland with a win-or-go-home Game 5.
Before the game, current Los Angeles Lakers star and Akron, OH native LeBron James took to social media to wish his hometown Guardians luck before the biggest game of their season.
“@CleGuardians Best of luck tomorrow!!! O-H 🫡,” James wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The Guardians' official account wasted no time finishing off the common Ohio catchphrase.
“Thank you, LeBron. I-O! 🫡,” they posted.
James just finished up attending another Game 5, this one in the NLDS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres in Los Angeles. The Dodgers pulled that one off with an elite pitching performance in a 2-0 win, and James offered his congratulations to the team in his current town.
The Lakers are off tomorrow, so there's not doubt that James will be keeping a close eye on the Guardians game during the day.
Guardians looking to solve Tarik Skubal in Game 5
The Guardians finished with the second best record in the American League during the regular season, yet they find themselves as a slight underdog in Game 5 of the ALDS at home.
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All of that, of course, comes down to facing one of the hottest teams in the league in the Tigers, with arguably the hottest pitcher in baseball scheduled to be on the bump on Saturday. Tarik Skubal has been practically untouchable down the stretch of this season, but the Guardians will have to figure him out if they want to move on to the ALCS.
Skubal's numbers are ridiculous of late. The Tigers' ace has not given up a run in his last three starts, including a seven-inning, three-hit gem in Game 2 in Cleveland. He has not given up more than two runs in a start since August 24, a streak that spans over his last seven starts.
Skubal's stuff has been phenomenal of late, and the Guardians' stars will have to show up in order to get them out in front. Third baseman Jose Ramirez is the best of that bunch, but he hasn't had his best stuff in this series. Ramirez is just 2-for-14 in four games, but he got some momentum going in Game 4 with a solo home run. If he can come up with a similar moment on Saturday, the Guardians can find themselves in a good spot with a lead.
If they do take a lead into the late innings, the Guardians have the best closer in baseball in Emmanuel Clase. Clase got the loss in Game 2 after giving up a monster home run to Kerry Carpenter, but he still finished the regular season with 47 saves and just five earned runs allowed in 74.1 innings. Cleveland will feel good any time he's on the mound.
