The Guardians do not need a miracle. They need urgency, sharper choices and a lineup that stops asking a pitching staff to win every game with three runs. If Cleveland wants to be more than a temporary occupant of the sixth seed, major things must happen now.

Vogt must simplify the lineup and trust the hot hand

Stephen Vogt deserves credit for handling the pitching staff, but his lineup construction and position-player substitutions have drawn fair scrutiny. Cleveland needs to stop tinkering and settle on its best lineup for the stretch run. Vogt rarely uses the same order on consecutive days. It’s head shaking at times how aggressively he has mixed and matched throughout the season. Injuries and front-office input complicate those choices, but September is no longer the time for constant experimentation. Vogt should identify the healthiest, most productive core, keep it together whenever matchups allow, and resist removing a hitter who is seeing the ball well simply because a pregame platoon plan says otherwise. The Guardians need adaptability, not over management and in close games, every pinch-hit, bunt, defensive switch and stolen-base attempt must have a clear purpose.

Stop treating four runs like a luxury

Photo by Charles Murray

Cleveland ranks 28th in the majors at roughly four runs per game, 29th in home runs and 25th in batting average. That is not merely an aesthetic problem it is the central threat to the season. The rotation has done enough. The bullpen has done enough. The offense must stop making every sixth inning feel like sudden death.

Vogt should build the batting order around current production rather than reputation but he also needs a contingency plan while Chase DeLauter is unavailable. DeLauter, Cleveland’s most consistent hitter, is day to day with a right wrist sprain and has missed three straight starts. Although he is trending in a positive direction and the club does not currently view it as an injured-list situation. When healthy, his .294 average and .458 slugging percentage belong near the center of the attack. Until then, Steven Kwan’s .372 on-base percentage and the speed supplied by José Ramírez, Travis Bazzana and Brayan Rocchio must drive a more aggressive, pressure-based lineup. Put the best available on-base bats together, force pitchers into the stretch and turn singles and walks into runs. This team is unlikely to become a home-run machine overnight, so it must manufacture crooked numbers instead of hoping for them.

Shorten the rotation and every manager’s leash

Photo by Charles Murray

Parker Messick has pitched like an October starter with a 2.53 ERA, while Gavin Williams has paired a 3.78 ERA with 228 strikeouts. Those are the two arms Cleveland should be arranging the stretch run around whenever rest permits. Tanner Bibee and Joey Cantillo remain important, but there is no prize for rigidly protecting a five-man routine while the season hangs by a thread.

Vogt has generally managed this bullpen well, and Cleveland’s relief corps has rewarded that trust. The unit ranked 10th in a recent leaguewide bullpen assessment, while Cade Smith, Colin Holderman, Erik Sabrowski, Tim Herrin and Hunter Gaddis all carried ERAs below 3.15. Smith’s 2.25 ERA, 35 saves and 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings make him the biggest late-game weapon. However, the September priority is continuity rather than reinvention. Keep matching the best available reliever to the highest-leverage situation while managing workloads for October.

Win the games that count twice

Seventeen games remain, including series against Minnesota, the division-leading White Sox, Boston and Kansas City. These are not ordinary dates on a schedule. Games against Chicago can swing the division race in both directions. The games against Boston influence wild-card positioning while divisional games may also matter in mathematical tiebreakers.

The target should be at least 10 wins over the final 17. That would put Cleveland at 83 victories which is not a guarantee, but a credible finishing mark in this compressed race. More importantly, the Guardians must take the White Sox series at Progressive Field. A club that wants October cannot politely split opportunities with the team standing between it and a division title.

Play for the berth, but prepare for the format

Three wild cards qualify from each league, and the opening round is a best-of-three series played entirely at the higher seed’s park. Cleveland’s first job is to get in. Its second is to avoid stumbling into October with an exhausted bullpen and no clear Game 1 plan. The club should begin lining up Messick and Williams for a potential wild-card series while protecting Smith and the top setup arms from needless multi-inning wear.

Tap into the heart that made history

More than any tactical adjustment, Cleveland needs to rediscover the stubborn belief that has become the heart of this club. Last season, the Guardians erased a 15½-game deficit against Detroit. This was the largest deficit overcome by a division champion. It was powered by a 17–5 September surge. That comeback was not luck. It was proof that this group can absorb adversity, keep the game close and apply pressure until an opponent cracks. The 2026 Guardians do not need to imitate every detail of that run, but they must tap into the same grit. They have already shown they can play their best baseball when the standings say the task is nearly impossible. Now they must summon that identity again, one relentless inning at a time.

The Guardians’ identity, pitching, defense, speed and discomfort, can absolutely win a short series. But first it must win a short season. September rewards teams willing to admit what they are. Cleveland is not a slugging juggernaut. It is a pitching-first club whose margin disappears when the lineup wastes chances or overworked relievers are asked to cover too many innings.

The verdict: Ride Messick and Williams, deploy Smith at the game’s true pressure point, stack the lineup with the players currently reaching base, and treat every remaining divisional game like an elimination game. The door to October is open. The Guardians do not need to kick it down. They simply need to stop standing in the doorway.

The post The Guardians’ October path: score more, manage smarter, finish ruthlessly appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

CLEVELAND — A week ago, the Cleveland Guardians looked like a club running out of time. Now, with the season winding down, they look like a team nobody in the American League wants to see coming.

The Guardians have won seven games in a row, a surge that has lifted them to 68-66 and into second place in the American League Central. Cleveland sits just 2.5 games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox, turning what once appeared to be a long-shot chase into a legitimate division race.

Built on Pitching, Pressure and Timely Wins

Photo by Charles Murray

The turnaround has been built on the formula that has carried Cleveland through so many tense September stretches: sharp pitching, relentless at-bats and enough late-inning resilience to make opponents uncomfortable. During the streak, the Guardians have swept the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels, stacking the kind of wins they had to have if they wanted to force their way back into the postseason picture.

Ramírez Heating Up Changes Everything

Photo by Charles Murray

What has changed most dramatically is the offense, and the biggest difference may be José Ramírez finally getting hot at the right time. Cleveland spent much of the season searching for consistent run production, but Ramírez’s bat has started to look dangerous again, giving the Guardians the kind of middle-of-the-order presence that can change an entire lineup. When he is driving the ball, working counts and coming through in pressure moments, pitchers have less room to breathe against everyone around him. Steven Kwan has helped set the tone at the top of the order, and trade-deadline addition Jo Adell has added needed punch, but Ramírez heating up has made Cleveland’s surge feel much more sustainable.

Just as important, the Guardians are no longer waiting for perfect games from their pitching staff. They have shown they can win with early offense, comeback rallies and bullpen toughness. That balance matters in a playoff race where every mistake is magnified and every series can reshape the standings.

Chicago Still Leads, but Cleveland Is Closing

The White Sox still control the division, but Cleveland has narrowed the gap and changed the conversation. The Guardians are 8-2 over their last 10 games, and their current winning streak has pushed them into the heart of both the AL Central and Wild Card races. With roughly a month remaining, the pressure is no longer only on Cleveland to chase. It is also on Chicago to hold on.

The Final Month Will Decide It

Cleveland’s late-season schedule gives the Guardians a chance to keep climbing, especially with more division games still ahead. Those matchups will determine whether this streak becomes a brief hot spell or the beginning of another memorable September push.

For now, the Guardians have done the most important thing a contender can do at this point in the season: they have made themselves impossible to ignore. Seven straight wins have put Cleveland back in the race, and if the bats keep producing while the pitching staff holds steady, the American League Central may not be decided until the final days of 2026.

The post Cleveland Guardians catch fire as AL Central race tightens appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

I wrote last week that I thought Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson would be the Week 1 starter after a competition between him and second year player Shedeur Sanders over the summer.

I was never in favor of the move but thought that based on what new Browns coach Todd Monken was saying about the two quarterbacks that it would be Watson in the end.

It ended up being the right prediction but after the recent fiasco of the last preseason game against the Buffalo Bills where Watson basically scolded the Browns fan base after he was relentlessly booed by the home team crowd because of his poor play, it only made Monken’s decision more confusing.

The Browns and coach Monken are trying their hardest to tell the fans that Watson gives Cleveland the best chance at wins this season. However, the fans can see how Watson is playing this preseason and at training camp and know that it’s a farce. 

While his competition Shedeur Sanders hasn’t been awesome either with his play this offseason he has shown far more ability to move the Browns offense. Sanders is young and his ceiling to become even better is high. 

To confuse the fanbase even more Watson goes out and rips the fanbase after a preseason game and still days later his new coach announces him as the starting quarterback of the Browns. Coach Monken says too that Watson’s embarrassing and crass press conference didn’t factor into his quarterback decision. Make it make sense! 

The answer to why Monken made the decision to go with Watson had little to do with performance on the football field. The Browns guaranteed him $230 million not so long ago and money talks. That’s what this comes down to and that’s a sad state of affairs. 

2nd and Goal: Nick Chubb Retires

If you want to do a case study in how to go about your football career the right way compared to the wrong way, then using former Browns running back Nick Chubb and Deshaun Watson in the study would be the greatest examples.

I’ll let you guess which one is which. 

Chubb announced his retirement last Friday. He played for the Browns from 2018 through 2024. He rumbled for 6,843 yards in that time, third all time only behind Browns legends Leroy Kelly and Jim Brown. 

Beyond the greatness on the field of play he was always the most respectable and driven NFL player around. He honored the game by playing every down like it was his last. Every time he was handed the football, you thought there was a chance at him running it to pay dirt.

Cleveland has missed his professionalism ever since he left the team two years ago. He was simply one of the best to wear the Orange and Brown!

3rd and Goal: Week 1 and Week 2 are on the road

A part of Browns coach Todd Monken’s decision to start Deshaun Watson in Week 1 might have been because his team starts the season on the road and stays on the road in Week 2.

First up Cleveland faces Jacksonville in Week 1. The Browns historically have been awful in opening games of the season so I don’t expect that to change.

In Week 2, the Browns stay in Florida and play Tampa Bay. Former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and current Tampa Bay quarterback has that game circled on his calendar. Mayfield was initially traded by the Browns after Cleveland traded for Watson back in 2022. To say Mayfield is licking his chops in anticipation of crushing the Browns is probably an understatement. 

4th and Goal: The outlook on the upcoming Browns season is bleak

It’s rare that I go into a new Browns season with so little excitement. What little enthusiasm I had, like many of you, was washed away when Monken and the Browns announced that Watson would start the season. The opportunity we thought second year quarterback Shedeur Sanders was going to get this season was suspended at least for the moment.

We’ll have to see how things evolve this season but it already feels like the season is over before it even begins. 

Let’s hope I’m wrong and somehow this new Browns team has more success then imagined. But, I don’t think I’m wrong. Time will tell. Stay tuned! 

The post Browns 1st and Goal Report: A very unpopular decision has fans upset appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

CLEVELAND — Enough. Seriously, enough. The Cleveland Browns have spent years trying to convince themselves that the Deshaun Watson experiment is still salvageable. They have twisted themselves into knots, leaned on excuses, waited on health, preached patience and asked fans to believe that the payoff was coming. Then Aug. 22, 2026 happened.

Watson entered a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, looked flat, heard the boos raining down from the home crowd and then acted as if the reaction was some great mystery. It was not. Browns fans were not grading a press release. They were watching the quarterback play football.

The performance was a warning siren

Watson’s line against Buffalo was not “rust.” It was not “timing.” It was not some harmless August hiccup everyone should laugh off by breakfast. He completed 5 of 12 passes for 36 yards with one interception in a 31-7 preseason loss. That is not franchise-quarterback stuff. That is not even close.

And spare everyone the tired “it’s only preseason” line. That excuse might work for a proven quarterback shaking off a little dust. Watson has barely played since the Browns brought him to Cleveland, and when he has actually made it onto the field, the results have been average at best. Not elite. Not transformative. Not worth the drama. Average. Sometimes less than that.

Then came the postgame answer

After the game, Watson had a chance to say the obvious: I have to be better. That is all he needed. One sentence. Own the interception, own the stalled drives, own the boos as part of the job. Instead, he said the boos had “nothing to do about the performance” and called them “personal” and “disrespectful.”

Come on. Browns fans did not boo because they were bored. They booed because they have seen this movie before, paid full price for the ticket and still have not gotten the ending they were promised. When a quarterback completes less than half his throws, tosses a pick and leaves the offense looking stuck in mud, the reaction is not hard to decode.

Deshaun Watson on the booing from fans being personal and unrelated to on-field performance #Browns https://t.co/cgQf6F2IXi pic.twitter.com/usooenvrPy

— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) August 22, 2026

The Browns cannot build around a weekly headache

The Browns are not just picking a quarterback. They are picking the person who has to stand in front of the city every week and make people believe. Watson has not earned that kind of trust in Cleveland. The franchise paid a massive price to get him, waited through long stretches of absence and still has not received anything close to the kind of production that makes the noise worth it.

Right now, Watson is not momentum. He is a weekly referendum. Every drive becomes a debate. Every incompletion becomes a talk-show segment. Every defensive answer after a bad outing pours gasoline on a fire the Browns should have been trying to put out years ago.

Stop protecting the contract and pick the quarterback

The Browns cannot let a past mistake keep making the next decision for them. The depth chart should not be a museum for bad investments. If another quarterback gives this offense more rhythm, more confidence and fewer self-inflicted distractions, then that quarterback should start. It really is that simple.

Starting Watson would not look bold. It would look stubborn. It would look like a franchise still trying to win an argument it already lost. Cleveland cannot walk into 2026 pretending that the name, the salary and the original sales pitch matter more than what is happening on the field.

The verdict

Deshaun Watson’s Aug. 22 performance against the Bills should not be filed away as a meaningless preseason blip. It should be treated like a warning siren. The bad numbers mattered. The boos made sense. The postgame comments made it worse. Frankly, I wonder why the Browns should let him take another meaningful snap in their uniform. And the larger truth is impossible to ignore: a quarterback who has barely been available and mostly average when available has not earned the right to be handed the job again.

The Browns do not owe Watson another benefit of the doubt. They owe their locker room, their fans and their season an honest decision. And the honest decision is this: do not make Deshaun Watson the starting quarterback in 2026.

The post The Browns can’t sell Deshaun Watson as their 2026 starter any longer appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

The Cleveland Browns QB competition between the old and injury prone Deshaun Watson and the young and upcoming second year player Shedeur Sanders wasn’t much of a competition after all. That’s not for lack of effort on Sanders’ part. But the Browns and new coach Todd Monken began really skewing the final outcome of who would be the Week 1 starter in the last two weeks of training camp. This dog and pony show was more of a staged event to try to capture the interest of Cleveland fans.

In the end, it was never going to be Sanders. It was always going to be Watson. Was it the $240 million contract that the Browns gave Watson talking? Absolutely, it was! 

It’s unfortunate that the Browns really have never shown interest in trying to develop a quarterback like Sanders. If they were more invested in the young and talented Sanders they should have committed to trying to make him better. 

Instead they put on this glamorous staged event that took away valuable time and reps on the field of play that could have only made the young Sanders even better. 

So look for Watson to start Week 1. It’s a waste of time and Browns fans know that and that’s what makes this upcoming season hard to get behind. 

Monken talks about winning being the most important thing but he forgot you have to win the fans and at least in this supposed QB battle he lost. 

2nd and Goal: The Browns defensive secondary depth a big concern 

We know Cleveland has two of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell. They also have a pretty good crew playing at the safety positions in Grant Delpit, Ronnie Hickman and new rookie Emmanuel McNeil Warren.

However, they are lacking in depth at these positions, especially at corner. There have been a few bright spots in rookie UDFA Michael Cotes Jr. who had an interception in the last preseason game.

However, the Browns need to find more talent. The Cleveland GM Andrew Berry may need to make a trade for a player or two. Recently, I suggested that the Browns trade for Carrington Valentine from Green Bay. He’s in his final year of his rookie contract. He was a starter for 11 games a season ago and the Packers may be interested in trading him as they have better depth at the position. 

3rd and Goal: The Browns rookies are shining!

New rookies Spencer Fano, KC Concepcion, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and Denzel Boston have all been playing well at training camp. 

Fano, the new Browns left tackle has been going against newly traded for defensive edge Jared Verse during camp and it’s been one of the more entertaining battles. They literally have rumbled during practice throwing punches and all. 

Concepcion caught a touchdown pass for the Browns touchdown in the recent preseason game and also took a punt return back for a big 31 yard run back. His teammate in Boston also had a nice catch in the preseason game. 

It certainly looks like Concepcion and Boston will be starters and contribute a lot to an offensive that in the past has been stuck in the mud. 

4th and Goal: How will the “old” fit with the “new”? 

The Browns new head coach Todd Monken is beginning his NFL head coaching career at the ripe old age of 60. His team is made up of mostly young 20 somethings. How will the two things work together?

Time will tell. Right now the coach and players are in the honeymoon stage. The real games haven’t started so they have until then until we find out if this mix sticks. 

There has been a lot of praise for Monken to this point of training camp. His personality seems different then the Browns previous coach Kevin Stefanski.

While Monken does come across more vocal, frank and in your face then cool, calm and collected Stefanski, the new “old school” coach will have to start answering the bell once the games actually count.

Right now, it’s all just talk and a lot of people can talk. Let’s see how Monken’s team responds to his demands as the season gets started.

The post Browns 1st and Goal Report: Deshaun Watson Likely Week 1 Starter appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

On Saturday, August 1, 2026, the I.C.Change Basketball Showcase continued its mission of creating opportunities for young student-athletes—this time by giving the young ladies of Northeast Ohio their own day to shine.

I.C.Change Basketball Showcase founder Ian Cunningham teamed up with former Villa Angela-St. Joseph standout, professional basketball player, and current local skills trainer and player-development specialist Rollie Smith to provide a completely free girls basketball showcase at The Sports Plant in Euclid, Ohio.

The event featured 18 young ladies from throughout Northeast Ohio, all coming together for one purpose: an opportunity to compete, develop, gain exposure, and showcase their abilities in front of college coaches.

Registration began at 11:00 a.m., with the showcase officially getting underway at noon. Cunningham and Smith opened the event with a brief introduction, setting the tone and reminding the athletes that the day was about much more than simply winning basketball games.

It was about effort, growth, exposure, confidence, education, and making the most of an opportunity.

With college coaches representing Junior College, USCAA, and NCAA Division III programs in attendance, the young ladies began the day with a warmup and skills-training session led by Smith before transitioning into competitive full-court games.

The event also included a College Coaches Q&A session, giving the athletes an opportunity to hear directly from coaches about recruiting, academics, expectations, and what programs look for in prospective student-athletes.

One of the highlights of the afternoon was Ms. Queen of the Court, where players competed individually and had another opportunity to demonstrate their competitiveness, confidence, and basketball ability.

The showcase was also supported by a dedicated athletic training staff led by Mr. Fahey of Cuyahoga Valley Career Center (CVCC), along with Reina Cunningham, daughter of founder Ian Cunningham. Their presence helped ensure that player health and safety remained a priority throughout the event.

Recognizing the Girls Showcase Standouts

Every athlete in the gym competed hard, and the college coaches in attendance took notice.

The effort, competitiveness, and overall talent made selecting the award recipients extremely difficult. Every young lady who stepped on the floor gave her best effort and represented herself, her family, and her school with pride.

This year’s Girls Showcase award winners included:

Ms. MVP
Julia Scales — Hawken High School, Class of 2027

Ms. Queen of the Court
Tatianna Williams — Cuyahoga CC, Class of 2027

Ms. Defensive Stopper
Bella Guidugli — Lutheran East High School, Class of 2028

Top 6 Showcase Awards

• Kasey Bolyard— Mogadore High School, 2027
• Rosalynda Jordan— Strongsville High School, 2028
• Avery Carr— UC, 2029
• Isabel Stocker— Saint John High School, 2029
• Jayleena Bauzo— John Marshall High School, 2026
• Brandi Page— Gilmour Academy, 2028

Selected participants received trophies and medals recognizing their performances throughout the showcase.

But perhaps an even greater opportunity was available beyond the awards.

A $1,000 scholarship opportunity was made available for a participating young lady who received an offer from one of the college coaches in attendance. If the student-athlete chose to pursue that opportunity, she would be eligible to submit an essay explaining how the scholarship would help her and why she should be selected for the award.

That opportunity represents exactly what I.C.Change was built around—using basketball as a platform to help create opportunities that can impact a young person’s future both athletically and academically.

Bigger Than Basketball

Northeast Ohio continues to prove that it has some of the most versatile and talented student-athletes in the state.

One college coach in attendance summed up the event by telling Cunningham:

“The I.C.Change Showcase is always a premier event. I can’t believe more people in the area don’t know about it!”

For Cunningham, comments like that reinforce why the showcase continues to exist and why keeping the event free remains so important.

The journey began in 2019, when a free boys basketball showcase was created because Cunningham saw an opportunity to help student-athletes throughout Northeast Ohio receive exposure without families having to worry about another registration fee.

The goal was simple:

Give back. Create opportunities. Help young people. Make a difference.

Years later, that mission continues to grow.

At the 2026 Boys I.C.Change Basketball Showcase, 61 young men competed in front of double-digit college coaches, once again giving under-the-radar student-athletes an opportunity to perform in front of coaches who could potentially help change the direction of their basketball and academic futures.

The boys were also given an opportunity that extended beyond basketball.

Scholarship awards were made available to participants who received an offer from a college or university coach attending the showcase. If a student-athlete received an offer, chose to pursue that opportunity, and planned to attend that institution, he could submit an essay explaining why he should be considered for a scholarship award.

The purpose was to make the showcase about more than simply being seen for one day.

I.C.Change wanted to help create opportunities that could assist a student-athlete in taking the next step both academically and athletically.

For Cunningham, that is what the showcase is truly about—creating opportunities that can extend beyond the basketball court and potentially have a lasting impact on a young person’s future.

2026 Boys Showcase Award Winners

Alumni Game MVP

Calvin Marshall – Henry Ford CC

MVP
Judah Prince-Noel — Lincoln Prep, Canada, 2026

Audra Jackson Mr. Hustle Award
Joshniel Nieves — John Marshall High School, 2026

Kyle Jackson Playmaker Award
Jadan Gill — Valley Forge High School, 2027

Eikenberry Defensive Stopper Award
Kellen Balog — Western Reserve High School, 2028

Top Showcase Award Recipients

• Darius Chappell— Garrett Morgan, 2027
• Dominic Bell— Run the Show Prep, 2025
• Payton Spencer-Jackson— Akron Firestone, 2027
• Grant Gosa— VASJ, 2027
• Avery Atkins— Lorain CC, 2026
• Jordan Campbell— Garfield Heights, 2027
• Emmanuel Steele— Canada, 2026
• Vincent Mauro— Columbus Pickerington, 2025
• Jayveon Roe— Lorain CC, 2027
• Blake Mullaly— Rootstown, 2027
• Caden Stombaugh— Abeka Homeschool, 2028
• Dereon Barber— Richmond Heights, 2028

The talent level made selecting the top performers incredibly difficult.

After reviewing film from the showcase, it became even more apparent just how many deserving players participated. Narrowing the group down to only a select number of award recipients was one of the hardest parts of the event.

That is a true testament to the level of talent that continues to attend the I.C.Change Basketball Showcase year after year.

Not everyone will leave with a trophy.

Not everyone will receive an offer that day.

But every athlete is given a legitimate opportunity to compete, be evaluated, build relationships, and be seen.

Sometimes, one opportunity can change everything.

The Next Chapter: Boys & Girls Together in 2027

“This is just the beginning,” Cunningham said.

The vision is already expanding.

On Saturday, June 5, 2027, the I.C.Change Basketball Showcase plans to bring the boys and girls events together for the first time.

The premium, invitation-only event will feature:

32 young men.
32 young women.
64 selected student-athletes.
Men’s and women’s college coaches.
One event. One mission.

The combined showcase is being designed to give both men’s and women’s college basketball coaches an opportunity to travel together and recruit talented student-athletes during the same event.

The goal is to create an atmosphere where coaches at different levels can evaluate players, connect with families, build recruiting relationships, and discover talented student-athletes who may otherwise go overlooked.

Former NBA point guard Smush Parker is also expected to return to support the showcase and continue giving back to the next generation of young athletes.

What started as a free basketball showcase for boys in Northeast Ohio in 2019 continues to evolve into something much larger.

Adding a girls showcase in 2026 was another important step.

Combining both showcases in 2027 represents the next one.

But through all of the growth, one thing will remain the same:

The mission.

It is about basketball—but it has never been only about basketball.

It is about opening doors.

It is about giving young people a platform.

It is about connecting student-athletes with college coaches.

It is about scholarships and education.

It is about mentorship, relationships, exposure, and opportunity.

Most importantly, it is about showing young people that there are individuals in their own community who are willing to invest their time, resources, and energy into helping them succeed.

The I.C.Change Basketball Showcase will continue striving to provide opportunities for young men and women who simply need someone willing to give them a chance.

From 61 boys competing in June, to 18 young ladies receiving their own showcase in August, to a planned 64-player combined boys and girls event in 2027, the vision continues to grow.

And if the first eight years are any indication, the best may still be ahead.

Exposure. Competition. Opportunity.

I.C.Change Basketball Showcase — Bigger Than Sports. 

X account iancle1 

Instagram account icchangeshowcase 

website icchangeshowcase.com 

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CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Guardians did not treat the 2026 MLB trade deadline like a team content to merely hang around the playoff race. On Aug. 3, with the American League Central and Wild Card pictures still within reach, Cleveland made a series of aggressive moves that signaled a clear intent: the front office believes this roster is close enough to justify adding immediate help.

The headline additions were first baseman and designated hitter Nathaniel Lowe from the Cincinnati Reds, left-handed starter Foster Griffin from the Washington Nationals and right-handed outfielder Jo Adell from the Los Angeles Angels. Together, the moves gave Cleveland a more flexible lineup, a sturdier rotation, and a stronger mix of platoon options for manager Stephen Vogt down the stretch.

Deadline haul: three needs, three answers

The busiest portion of Cleveland’s deadline came in the final hours. The Guardians acquired Lowe from Cincinnati for pitching prospect Alejandro Rivera, adding a left-handed bat who entered the move batting .266 with 12 home runs, 17 doubles, 37 RBI and an .820 OPS in 83 games. For a team that had searched for steadier production at first base and designated hitter, Lowe immediately profiles as a veteran run producer who can lengthen the lineup.

Cleveland also landed Griffin, a 31-year-old left-hander enjoying a breakout season with Washington. Griffin was an All-Star in 2026 and had posted a 3.06 ERA and 1.075 WHIP across 22 starts, giving the Guardians another dependable starter capable of working deep into games. The price was significant: left-handers Will Dion and Josh Hartle, right-hander Kendeglys Virguez and outfielder Nick Mitchell went to the Nationals.

Earlier in the day, the Guardians added Adell from the Angels, surrendering catching prospect Jacob Cozart. Adell brings right-handed power and outfield depth, two traits Cleveland needed as it tried to balance a lineup that had leaned heavily on matchup management and timely pitching.

Why the moves fit Cleveland

Individually, none of the trades looked like a reckless blockbuster. Collectively, they formed one of the more purposeful deadline plans in the league. Lowe gives the Guardians a more proven left-handed bat for the middle of the order. Adell gives them a right-handed outfield option with power against left-handed pitching. Griffin gives them another veteran starter who can absorb innings and reduce pressure on the bullpen.

That last point may be especially important. Cleveland’s identity has long been built around pitching development, defense, and run prevention. Adding Griffin allows the Guardians to protect their relief corps in August and September when tight division races often become bullpen survival contests. If Griffin continues to throw strikes and keep the ball on the ground, he should benefit from Cleveland’s infield defense and pitching infrastructure.

The offensive additions are more about raising the floor than changing the franchise’s identity. Lowe and Adell give Vogt more ways to build a lineup based on the opposing starter. Against right-handers, Lowe can provide left-handed thump and on-base ability. Against left-handers, Adell can bring a power threat to the outfield mix. That may not make Cleveland an offensive juggernaut, but it should make the lineup less predictable and harder to navigate.

Cost and risk

The Guardians did pay real prospect capital. Giving up four players for Griffin, a veteran starter acquired for a pennant push, is not a small bet. Moving Cozart and Rivera also trims from the organization’s future depth. But Cleveland’s front office appeared to make a calculated decision: with the club hovering around the postseason picture and within striking distance in the division, marginal upgrades could be the difference between playing in October and watching from home.

There is still risk. Lowe must prove his rebound at the plate will carry into a new league environment. Adell’s swing-and-miss concerns remain part of his profile. Griffin’s breakout has to hold up under meaningful September innings. But deadline moves are rarely about certainty. They are about identifying weaknesses and giving a contender more ways to win.

Bottom line

By the time the deadline passed, the Guardians had made their message clear. They were not selling. They were not standing still. They were buying selectively, targeting players who fit specific roster gaps without completely abandoning the organization’s long-term discipline.

If Cleveland reaches the postseason, Aug. 3 may be remembered as the day the front office gave the roster the support it needed. If the Guardians fall short, the trades will still show that the club recognized the moment and acted. Either way, Cleveland’s deadline was not quiet, cautious, or passive. It was a contender’s deadline and now the Guardians have two months to prove it was the right one.

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For most of 2026, the Cleveland Guardians have looked like a team trying to win games with one arm tied behind its back. The pitching has kept them relevant, the bullpen has saved tight leads, and the defense has done enough to keep games close. But the offense has been so quiet recently that every inning feels like a countdown to see whether Cleveland can scratch across even one run.

Photo by Charles Murray

Through July 28, the Guardians sat around the middle of the playoff picture at 54-53 or 55-53 depending on the latest game log update, but the run prevention has been doing almost all of the heavy lifting. Cleveland had scored only 420 to 426 runs in roughly 107 to 109 games, while allowing 438 runs. That negative run differential tells the story: this is a club surviving, not surging.

Team Stats Show a Bottom-Tier Offense

The Guardians’ overall batting line through Tuesday was the kind of profile that explains the frustration. StatMuse listed Cleveland at 107 games with a .230 batting average, .309 on-base percentage and .371 slugging percentage, with 104 home runs, 402 RBI, 381 walks, 895 strikeouts and 104 stolen bases. Fox Sports, using a 109-game table, had the Guardians at .230/.309/.368 with a .677 OPS, ranking 28th in MLB in batting average and near the bottom of the league in most major offensive categories.

The issue is not just a lack of power. Cleveland has speed, ranking near the top of the league in stolen bases, and it still draws walks at a useful rate. But the Guardians have not paired that with enough hits or slugging to create steady innings. Too often, runners are stranded, rallies die after one hard-hit ball, and the team asks its pitchers to make a 2-1 game hold up for nine innings.

The Individual Numbers Are a Mixed Bag

Chase DeLauter has been the best story in the lineup though he missed time with injury. Through July 28, he was hitting .282 with a .352 OBP, .447 slugging percentage, 11 home runs and 50 RBI. That is legitimate middle-of-the-order production.

Photo by Charles Murray

Brayan Rocchio has also helped stabilize things, posting a .268 average, .328 OBP, nine home runs, 49 RBI and 15 steals. Steven Kwan, meanwhile, has started to wake up after a slow first half. His overall line sat at .248/.351/.308 with only one homer and 18 RBI, but his July surge is one of the few recent reasons for optimism.

Another possible factor is the way the lineup has been mixed and matched. Platooning can create better matchups on paper, but when players are constantly moving in and out of the order, it can also make it harder for hitters to settle into a rhythm. For a young lineup already searching for confidence, inconsistent playing time may be making the offensive drought worse by forcing too many players to produce without regular at-bats.

That is why Cleveland’s offense has felt nonexistent recently. The Guardians have a few useful pieces, but not enough length.

Vogt Keeps Selling the Bigger Picture

Photo by Charles Murray

While the numbers make Cleveland’s offensive issues difficult to ignore, manager Stephen Vogt has continued to frame the Guardians as a team that is playing strong overall baseball. After an early-season stretch against difficult opponents, Vogt said, “I know probably not many people had that record on paper for us. So, I think, you know, we’re just proving to ourselves again: We are good, and we know that.” It was the kind of quote that captured his broader approach: keep the clubhouse focused on belief, competitiveness, and daily progress rather than letting outside criticism define the season.

That optimism has shown up even when the offense has been inconsistent. In May, after the Guardians flashed power in a win over Cincinnati, Vogt pointed to the roster’s age curve as a reason to believe the bats could still grow. “I think we’re young. A lot of people don’t get into their power until 25 to 28, and we’re starting to get into those age ranges for a lot of our guys,” Vogt said. “As you get older, you learn when to take shots. You learn how to attack certain pitches.”

More recently, though, Vogt has not completely denied the problem. After Cleveland went 0-for-17 with runners in scoring position in a 3-1 extra-inning loss to Minnesota, he called it “a frustrating day for us offensively.” That admission matters because it undercuts the idea that the manager is blind to the issue. Still, his public tone has largely remained steady and positive, emphasizing that the Guardians are competing, pitching well, and giving themselves chances even when the lineup fails to finish innings.

That leaves Cleveland in an uncomfortable place. Vogt’s message may be exactly what a young team needs internally, but the standings and stat sheet are less forgiving. The Guardians can say they are playing good baseball in many phases, and they often are, but as long as the offense remains near the bottom of the league, every optimistic quote comes with an obvious question attached: when will the bats actually back it up?

The Bottom Line

Cleveland does not need to become the Dodgers overnight. It does not need a lineup full of stars. But it does need more than what it has shown recently. A team hitting around .230 with a sub-.680 OPS cannot expect a pitching staff to carry it through August, September and October on vibes and close-game execution alone.

The Guardians are still alive because their arms have given them a chance, and Vogt’s belief in the group is part of what keeps the clubhouse steady. But the offense has become the season’s defining problem. If the bats wake up, his confidence could look like leadership that helped a young team stay afloat. If they do not, Cleveland may look back on 2026 as the year its manager kept preaching belief while the lineup never gave him enough runs to justify it.

The post Guardians’ silent bats becoming Cleveland’s biggest problem appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

Recently, Sanders sat down and did an Apple Podcast with host Nadeska Alexis as they talked about Sander’s life and how he’s managing things on and off the football field. Sanders said a lot of things in the interview and I would encourage you to go listen to it yourself. 

But I walked away from it impressed again with this kid’s approach in life and it’s why I believe he can be the Browns future at the quarterback spot.

I could be wrong and that wouldn’t be a shock to anyone who knows me, but I believe in Sander’s belief in himself and that most times is the difference in being successful or not in football or anything you do in life. 

While listening to the interview, Sanders admitted to his doubts and struggles but also learning about his strengths at the same time and using those skills moving forward. 

He talked about his love for music and producing songs to be a part of his own therapy in life. He discussed the connection between life and the game of football and how having things in order in your life should be in line with how you play the game on the field. 

There will always be the doubters when it comes to discussing Sanders and his future with Cleveland. He’s only going into his second season and I think he’s built mentally to prove those doubters wrong. I think by the end of this season the Browns will have their “franchise quarterback”. 

You can never accurately predict the future but there’s a lot more signs that suggest that Sanders has what it takes to succeed in life and on the field and that’s a huge plus for him and the fans that cheer him on. 

2nd and Goal: Training Camp starts this week! 

The Browns rookies report on July 23rd and the veterans will report on July 28th. The practices will be open to the public starting on July 31st and go through August 12th. 

Cleveland will go on the road August 15th for their first preseason game against the Chicago Bears. 

They’ll return home the following week having joint practices with the Buffalo Bills and conclude with a preseason game on August 22nd at Huntington Stadium. They’ll follow that up with another preseason game against the New. England Patriots on August 27th.

3rd and Goal: Can the Browns defense shine without Myles Garrett? 

The answer is absolutely yes! Yes, Myles Garrett had a record 23 sacks last season but the Browns traded him away this offseason. The Browns defenses in the past have been good but not always good either even with Garrett in the lineup.

A lot is trying to be made with Garrett’s departure and how it will negatively affect the future of the Browns. But times change and it was time for Garrett to move on after nine seasons in Cleveland.

The Browns have a very talented young defense that was ranked fourth overall last season. Will they rank again at the top? Maybe not, but they can certainly be one of the best even without Garrett. The newly traded for defensive edge Jarrett Verse, linebacker Carson Schwesinger and defensive lineman Mason Graham, along with corners like Denzel Ward and safety Grant Delpit will all continue to put pressure on opposing offenses this season.  

4th and Goal: Don’t pay attention to all these preseason rankings about the Browns

If you are a Browns fan you’ve seen and heard enough this offseason about how bad your team is going to be. You really just have to ignore it all. But that can be a challenge when some analysts say that Cleveland will be lucky to win three games this season or they’re guaranteed a loss in Week 1. 

No one knows anything outside of the players and coaches that take the field for the Browns. They are the ones that will control the wins and losses. 

The Browns have a new head coach in Todd Monken who at the young age of 61 gets his first chance at being a head coach in the NFL. I think he will get his team to buy into the challenges early in the year. 

I also think with any very young team, if those wins don’t come early then the focus of the players to their coach will become more difficult. With anything, change is hard and that’s where the team is right now.

I do think they’re push of the youth movement will pay off down the line but maybe not this season. I still believe this team can contend every Sunday and come away with an eight or nine win season. 

The post Browns 1st and Goal Report: Shedeur Sander’s confident mindset key to the Browns winning appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

The Guardians open the 2027 season with a 6-game road trip, starting with a 3-game set at the Chicago Cubs (March 25-27) before traveling to Comerica Park to face the Detroit Tigers for a 3-game series (March 29-April 31).

Cleveland’s Home Opener will take place on Thursday, April 1 against the New York Yankees, marking just the fourth time in franchise history that Cleveland has opened in Cleveland with the Bronx Bombers, joining 1997 at Progressive Field, and 1960 and 1979 at Cleveland Stadium. The Guardians open Progressive Field with a 7-game homestand, featuring a 4-game set against New York-AL (April 1-4) and a 3-game series with Seattle (April 5-7).

The 2027 season will feature seven summer weekends at Progressive Field:

• June 4-6 vs. Chicago-AL
• June 18-20 vs. Athletics
• July 2-4 vs. Minnesota
• July 9-11 vs. Milwaukee
• July 30-August 1 vs. Chicago-AL
• August 13-15 vs. Toronto
• August 20-22 vs. Tampa Bay

The Guardians will play host to eight Interleague opponents in 2027, including the Colorado Rockies (April 26-28), Los Angeles Dodgers (May 11-13), Philadelphia Phillies (July 5-7), Milwaukee Brewers (July 9-11), Miami Marlins (July 26-28), St. Louis Cardinals (August 16-18), Atlanta Braves (September 3-5) and Cincinnati Reds (September 24-26).

Other 2027 schedule notes:

• Monthly home/road breakdown:
  • March/April: (16 home/17 road)
  • May: (12 home/15 road)
  • June: (14 home/14 road)
  • July: (15 home/10 road)
  • August: (13 home/14 road)
  • September: (12 home/11 road)
• The Guardians have one 10-game homestand, their longest of the season:
  • July 26-August 5 (MIA, CWS, TEX)
• Longest road trip is 10 games (1x)
  • September 10-19 (@NYM, @KC, @PIT)

Fans can purchase 2027 Season Ticket Memberships today by calling 216-420-HITS. All Season Ticket Member options can be viewed online at CLEGuardians.com/seasontickets.

2027 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE

MARCH/APRIL

March 25 @ Chicago-NL

March 27 @ Chicago-NL

March 28 @Chicago-NL

March 29 @ Detroit

March 30 @ Detroit

March 31 @ Detroit

April 1 v New York-AL

April 2 v New York-AL

April 3 v New York-AL

April 4 v New York-AL

April 5 v Seattle

April 6 v Seattle

April 7 v Seattle

April 9 @ Houston

April 10 @ Houston

April 11 @ Houston

April 13 v Minnesota

April 14 v Minnesota

April 15 v Minnesota

April 16 @ Boston

April 17 @ Boston

April 18 @ Boston

April 19 @ Boston

April 20 @ Toronto

April 21 @ Toronto

April 22 @ Toronto

April 23 v Kansas City

April 24 v Kansas City

April 25 v Kansas City

April 26 v Colorado

April 27 v Colorado

April 28 v Colorado

April 30 @ Arizona

MAY

May 1 @ Arizona

May 2 @ Arizona

May 3 @ Athletics

May 4 @ Athletics

May 5 @ Athletics

May 7 v Boston

May 8 v Boston

May 9 v Boston

May 11 v Los Angeles-NL

May 12 v Los Angeles-NL

May 13 v Los Angeles-NL

May 14 @ Washington

May 15 @ Washington

May 16 @ Washington

May 17 @ Chicago-AL

May 18 @ Chicago-AL

May 19 @ Chicago-AL

May 21 v Baltimore

May 22 v Baltimore

May 23 v Baltimore

May 24 v Los Angeles-AL

May 25 v Los Angeles-AL

May 26 v Los Angeles-AL

May 28 @ Tampa Bay

May 29 @ Tampa Bay

May 30 @ Tampa Bay

May 31 @ Texas

JUNE

June 1 @ Texas

June 2 @ Texas

June 4 v Chicago-AL

June 5 v Chicago-AL

June 6 v Chicago-AL

June 7 v Detroit

June 8 v Detroit

June 9 v Detroit

June 10 v Detroit

June 11 @ Kansas City

June 12 @ Kansas City

June 13 @ Kansas City

June 15 @ Baltimore

June 16 @ Baltimore

June 17 @ Baltimore

June 18 v Athletics

June 19 v Athletics

June 20 v Athletics

June 21 v Houston

June 22 v Houston

June 23 v Houston

June 24 @ Minnesota

June 25 @ Minnesota

June 26 @ Minnesota

June 27 @ Minnesota

June 29 @ Detroit

June 30 @ Detroit

JULY

July 1 @ Detroit

July 2 v Minnesota

July 3 v Minnesota

July 4 v Minnesota

July 5 v Philadelphia

July 6 v Philadelphia

July 7 v Philadelphia

July 9 v Milwaukee

July 10 v Milwaukee

July 11 v Milwaukee

July 16 @ Cincinnati

July 17 @ Cincinnati

July 18 @ Cincinnati

July 19 @ New York-AL

July 20 @ New York-AL

July 21 @ New York-AL

July 23 @ Chicago-AL

July 24 @ Chicago-AL

July 25 @ Chicago-AL

July 26 v Miami

July 27 v Miami

July 28 v Miami

July 29 v Chicago-AL

July 30 v Chicago-AL

July 31 v Chicago-AL

AUGUST

August 1 v Chicago-AL

August 3 v Texas

August 4 v Texas

August 5 v Texas

August 6 @ Minnesota

August 7 @ Minnesota

August 8 @ Minnesota

August 9 @ Seattle

August 10 @ Seattle

August 11 @ Seattle

August 13 v Toronto

August 14 v Toronto

August 15 v Toronto

August 16 v St. Louis

August 17 v St. Louis

August 18 v St. Louis

August 20 v Tampa Bay

August 21 v Tampa Bay

August 22 v Tampa Bay

August 23 @ San Diego

August 24 @ San Diego

August 25 @ San Diego

August 27 @ Los Angeles-AL

August 28 @ Los Angeles-AL

August 29 @ Los Angeles-AL

August 30 @ San Francisco

August 31 @ San Francisco

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 1 @ San Francisco

Sept. 3 v Atlanta

Sept. 4 v Atlanta

Sept. 5 v Atlanta

Sept. 6 v Detroit

Sept. 7 v Detroit

Sept. 8 @ v Detroit

Sept. 10 @ New York-NL

Sept. 11 @ New York-NL

Sept. 12 @ New York-NL

Sept. 13 @ Kansas City

Sept. 14 @ Kansas City

Sept. 15 @ Kansas City

Sept. 16 @ Kansas City

Sept. 17 @ Pittsburgh

Sept. 18 @ Pittsburgh

Sept. 19 @ Pittsburgh

Sept. 21 v Kansas City

Sept. 22 v Kansas City

Sept. 23 v Kansas City

Sept. 24 v Cincinnati

Sept. 25 v Cincinnati

Sept. 26 v Cincinnati

Cleveland Guardians Official Press Relase

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