The 2024 Major League Baseball postseason continues on Thursday with two critical American League Division Series Game 4 matchups. The Cleveland Guardians face elimination against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, trailing 2-1 in their best-of-five series. The game is set to begin at 6:08 p.m. ET. Later, the New York Yankees, also holding a 2-1 series lead, aim to eliminate the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium, with the first pitch scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET.
For these crucial games, each team faces a significant question.
Guardians: Will the Guardians’ offense rise to the occasion?
Cleveland enters this do-or-die Game 4 after being held scoreless for 20 consecutive innings. The last time the Guardians scored was in the sixth inning of Game 1. In Game 2, the Tigers’ standout pitcher Tarik Skubal dominated, shutting down Cleveland for seven innings. Game 3 saw the Guardians blanked again, this time by six Tigers relievers in a bullpen strategy employed by Detroit’s manager A.J. Hinch. If Cleveland’s offense doesn’t step up now, their season could come to an end.
The Guardians have struggled offensively for a while, experiencing a decline in performance over the latter half of the season. Initially, they showed offensive promise, but the numbers reveal a stark contrast:
Cleveland offense AVG/OBP/SLG Runs/game First half .243/.316/.405 4.78 Second half .230/.295/.381 3.85
To force a Game 5 back in Cleveland, the Guardians desperately need a return to their first-half offensive capabilities.
Tigers: Can the Detroit bullpen maintain its momentum?
As indicated, the Tigers’ bullpen has been crucial to their success in this series. This postseason, the relief pitchers have posted an impressive 1.86 ERA while covering a combined 29 innings across five games. Hinch has adopted a “chaos” strategy in the playoffs, given the limited depth in his starting rotation following the trade of Jack Flaherty. This approach has proven effective against opposing batters.
During the regular season, the Detroit bullpen also excelled, ranking fifth in MLB for relief ERA and leading in relief innings pitched. Game 4 is expected to be another significant test for the Tigers’ relief staff.
Yankees: Will Aaron Judge deliver a pivotal performance?
Aaron Judge, the Yankees’ powerhouse slugger and one of baseball’s top hitters, has yet to make a standout contribution in this ALDS. Heading into Game 4, Judge is 1 for 11 with a single, three walks, and five strikeouts against the Royals. While the Yankees have managed to win without much impact from Judge, they could greatly benefit from his production if they aim to sweep Kansas City. Judge finished the regular season strong, hitting five home runs in his last six games. A positive sign for the Yankees is that Judge recorded the hardest-hit ball of Game 3, a 114.4-mph line drive that resulted in an out.
Royals: Will Bobby Witt Jr. step up?
In discussing underperforming stars, we have Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who is likely to place second in the AL MVP race this year. During the regular season, he posted impressive numbers with a .332/.389/.588 slash line, 32 home runs, 45 doubles, and 31 stolen bases. However, in the ALDS against the Yankees, he has struggled, going just 1 for 13 with a single, a walk, five strikeouts, and no stolen bases. In the Wild Card Series against the Orioles, he also failed to achieve an extra-base hit or a stolen base. Witt hasn’t hit a home run since September 16, and given the Royals’ limited lineup depth, they need him to produce if they hope for a chance to extend the series and reach a Game 5 in New York.