The Cleveland Guardian welcomed the Chicago White Sox to Progressive Field. Cleveland is the final team in Major League Baseball to play their home opener this season—and it’s shaping up to be one of the coldest in franchise history. The Guardians have made a tradition out of starting the season on the road, hoping to dodge the unpredictable and often harsh Cleveland spring weather.
Photo Cred: Jeff Lange, Akron Beacon Journal
This year, they opened with a three-city trip through Kansas City, San Diego, and Los Angeles. While those early-season road swings offered some sunshine and warmth, winter clearly didn’t get the memo to leave Cleveland. The projected temperature at first pitch is 34 degrees, which would tie the coldest home opener in team history, a record set back in 2016. To make matters even more dramatic, there’s a possibility of snow during the game.
Between the cold, the wind off Lake Erie, and the looming threat of flakes falling mid-inning, most fanbases would probably stay home. But this is Cleveland—where baseball in April comes with blankets, gloves, and hot chocolate. Despite the brutal forecast, the Guardians have already sold out the game, marking the 32nd consecutive year their home opener has been a full house. Fans have plenty of reasons to be excited, cold weather or not.
In 2024, the Guardians defied expectations. With one of the youngest rosters in baseball and a first-time manager in Steven Vogt, Cleveland finished with the second-best record in the American League, captured the AL Central crown, and made an inspired run all the way to the ALCS, where they eventually fell to the New York Yankees. It was a season that reinvigorated the fan base and reintroduced the Guardians as serious contenders in the American League.
Photo Cred: SI
Now, entering the 2025 season, expectations are higher—and rightfully so. The team returns much of the core that made last year’s run possible. While the offseason saw a couple of major moves—namely trading away Gold Glove second baseman Andrés Giménez and power-hitting first baseman Josh Naylor—the front office chose continuity over overhaul.
Franchise cornerstone José Ramírez is back, as is sparkplug leadoff man Steven Kwan and one of the most dominant bullpens in all of baseball. Still, the season hasn’t started quite the way the Guardians hoped. At 3–6, they’ve stumbled out of the gate and were recently swept by the San Diego Padres. The offense has struggled to find rhythm, and the pitching, typically a strength, has had a few shaky outings. But returning home offers a chance to reset.
And with the White Sox—who finished with MLB’s worst record in 2024—coming to town, there’s a golden opportunity to get back on track. For Cleveland fans, hope springs eternal. Cold weather, snow, or slow start—it doesn’t matter. Baseball is back in The Land, and the Guardians are ready to make their presence felt once again.
