Angel Martínez gave Cleveland one clean flash of October defense in the AL Division Series opener, climbing for a ball in left field and turning it into a sixth-inning double play. But with the Guardians held off the scoreboard, the bigger question moving into Game 2 is whether his bat can provide the punch Cleveland lacked Saturday.
| Game 1 | R | H | BB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guardians | 0 | 3 | 5 |
The AL Central champions will try to even the series Monday at 5 p.m. ET, with TBS, truTV, UniMas and HBO Max carrying Game 2. Chicago plans to again take an unconventional route on the mound: left-hander Anthony Kay will begin the game before right-hander Sean Burke handles the bulk work. Lefty Hagen Smith opened Game 1 and covered 2 2/3 innings.
Martínez’s season at a glance
| Season | Games | Plate Appearances | Home Runs | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 139 | 484 | 11 | .628 |
| 2026 | 114 | 416 | 18 | .755 |
Martínez earned one of the final spots on Cleveland’s Opening Day roster after a crowded spring competition for outfield work. His season took a difficult turn when a non-displaced fracture in his left foot cost him six weeks during June and July, part of a year in which he said injuries arrived more often than they had earlier in his career.
Still, the 24-year-old switch-hitter became an important power source in a lineup that needed one, particularly during an injury-affected season for José Ramírez. Martínez said he was pleased with where the year landed, even after its bumps, because the club is now playing in October.
Manager Stephen Vogt saw a hitter who helped stabilize the middle of the order from both batter’s boxes. Vogt said Martínez had a strong season and noted that the final totals might have been even better without the time lost to injury. He also praised the way Martínez has become a threat from either side while protecting teammates around him in the lineup.
More balance from both sides
| Batting Side | 2025 OPS | 2025 PA | 2026 OPS | 2026 PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right-handed | .792 | 169 | .831 | 152 |
| Left-handed | .545 | 315 | .711 | 264 |
The improvement from the left side was a particular point of emphasis after last season. Martínez remained productive as a right-handed hitter, but narrowed the gap considerably in 2026. He credited a simpler mental approach: trusting his ability rather than trying to control every part of the game.
He has not put a ceiling on his ambitions, saying he hopes to grow into a 30-homer player. For this series, though, the assignment is more immediate. Chicago finished fifth in the majors in home runs during the regular season, while Cleveland is trying to find enough slug against a pitching plan built around matchups and changing looks.
The Guardians carried 14 position players on the ALDS roster: six left-handed bats, three right-handed bats and five switch-hitters. Martínez, Ramírez and Brayan Rocchio were three of those switch-hitters in the Game 1 lineup, and Cleveland could send out a similar group against Kay and Burke.
Martínez has already done damage against the White Sox this year, going 4-for-12 over three regular-season games with a double, a grand slam and six RBIs. With Cleveland managing only three hits in the opener, one well-timed swing from Martínez could change the feel of the series.
Steven Kwan said Martínez’s climb has been one of the club’s meaningful stories, from uncertainty about his spring role to helping carry Cleveland into the postseason. Kwan pointed to Martínez’s right-handed work against lefties, his defense in left field and his steady presence in the clubhouse, adding that opportunity in baseball can create room for anyone to step forward.
