Zack Meisel

As Terry Francona makes his Cleveland return, the relationships he’s built ‘never change’ He missed the steady beat of the 162-game schedule. He missed the camaraderie. Most of all, he missed the people.

A lot has changed since Terry Francona left Cleveland. What hasn’t changed: Francona’s love of baseball and the people in the game, and his comedy routine.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/641...

Guardians need one of their patented, dominant rotations, and they might soon have one Cleveland's starters have flashed hints of a forthcoming breakout, and with the possible return of Shane Bieber, they could be formidable.

Guardians need one of their patented, dominant rotations, and they might soon have one

www.nytimes.com/athletic/640...

Ha, this actually wasn’t that piece! Still waiting for the right moment for that one

Somehow, Guardians star José Ramírez remains MLB’s best-kept secret While the feats of Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani hog headlines, an overlooked infielder has been charting a possible path to Cooperstown.

Somehow, Guardians star José Ramírez remains MLB’s best-kept secret

www.nytimes.com/athletic/640...

Presenting the Guardians’ All-Quarter Century Team, the best in Cleveland since 2000 Here are the players who made the biggest contributions for a franchise that has made the postseason nine times since 2001.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/638... Presenting the Guardians’ All-Quarter Century Team, the best in Cleveland since 2000

‘OK, I feel old now’: Quizzing Carlos Santana about his 15 years in the big leagues Santana made his big-league debut against the Washington Nationals on June 11, 2010. His teammates often call him “Grandpa.”

Carlos Santana: “Hey, Hedgey, can you believe that I hit an inside-the-park home run?”

Austin Hedges: “When? Your rookie year, 35 years ago? Did all the outfielders die?”

Quizzing Carlos Santana about his 15 years in the big leagues:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/638...

Baseball pulled Nic Enright out of the darkness. Now, finally, he's a big-league pitcher

Baseball and family pulled Nic Enright out of the darkness. Now, after two and a half years of pain and exhaustion and torment, he’s a big-league pitcher. And his debut, with his family present, was perfect.

“That was everything I wanted it to be.”

www.nytimes.com/athletic/637...

Really soon…

‘Light at the end of the tunnel’: Guardians prospect, pitching through cancer treatment, on verge of majors In 2022, pitcher Nic Enright was well on the road to his major-league dream. A cancer diagnosis changed — but did not stop — his plans.

Soon, you'll see Nic Enright pitch for Cleveland. He's been on the doorstep of the majors for two years as he battles cancer. Even while receiving debilitating treatment, he's kept pitching. He has to – to realize his dream, to inspire others, to survive.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/632...

‘Light at the end of the tunnel’: Guardians prospect, pitching through cancer treatment, on verge of majors In 2022, pitcher Nic Enright was well on the road to his major-league dream. A cancer diagnosis changed — but did not stop — his plans.

Soon, you'll see Nic Enright pitch for Cleveland. He's been on the doorstep of the majors for two years as he battles cancer. Even while receiving debilitating treatment, he's kept pitching. He has to – to realize his dream, to inspire others, to survive.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/632...

The rise of Steven Kwan: How a ‘mental edge’ has helped unlock an undersized MLB star Cleveland outfielder Steven Kwan has compensated for physical limitations by pursuing competitive advantages mentally.

Inside Steven Kwan’s journey to burgeoning stardom:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/630...

Why Terry Francona just couldn’t stay away from baseball: ‘I probably love it too much’ Francona has tried to escape the sport many times, yet he keeps coming back, baseball’s most reliable boomerang, unable to resist the grind.

Terry Francona spent a year golfing, being a fan, babysitting his grandkids. He relaxed in Hawaii and Mexico.

But it wasn’t enough. He needed baseball. He always does.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/629...

The best and worst year of Nolan Jones’ life, and what the public doesn’t see After a difficult year on and off the field in 2024, Jones returned to the game in 2025 with a stronger sense of perspective.

2024 was the worst year of Nolan Jones’ life. It was also the best year of Nolan Jones’ life. The Guardians’ outfielder opened up about failure, death threats and the birth of his daughter:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/627...

Quality control coach? Pitching strategist? In baseball, title inflation is the new norm

Quality control coach? Pitching strategist? In MLB, title inflation is the new norm (stay for Stephen Vogt’s impersonation of Creed Bratton)

www.nytimes.com/athletic/626...

Why I kept Octavio Dotel's baseball card in my wallet: Meisel

Why I kept Octavio Dotel’s baseball card in my wallet: Meisel

www.nytimes.com/athletic/626...

Another Cleveland home opener, another reason to honor die-hard fans who aren’t here It’s a day to celebrate a new season and a day to remember those who are no longer able to join them for the journey ahead.

For some Cleveland fans, the home opener is a chance to honor the die-hard fans who are no longer here

www.nytimes.com/athletic/624...

Long before torpedo bats, the maple bat craze took over baseball In the late 1990s, an Ottawa man changed bat technology with the creation of maple bats. Soon, almost every major leaguer wanted one.

Long before torpedo bats, the maple bat craze — which started in one man’s garage, after a friendly wager at a bar — took over baseball
www.nytimes.com/athletic/625...

Moon shots and mob movies: Jhonkensy Noel’s bid to be Guardians’ next big home run hitter After a legendary moment in last year's ALCS, Noel is looking to prove he belongs as a reliable hitter in the Guardians' lineup.

Moon shots and mob movies: Jhonkensy Noel’s bid to be Guardians’ next big home run hitter

www.nytimes.com/athletic/620...

Last year, the Guardians could taste the World Series. Now, they’re ravenous to end a drought Catcher Austin Hedges put it like this: "Last year was for convincing. Now there’s no convincing. We know exactly how good we are."

The Guardians got a taste of it last year. Now they want the whole thing. Buckle up for another unpredictable journey.

"It’s been 76 years — there’s pretty much no one alive in Cleveland who has experienced it. Once you do it once, that’s all they need.”

www.nytimes.com/athletic/621...

Congrats to Joe Danneman and @zackmeisel.bsky.social on being voted Ohio's Sportscaster and Sportswriter of the Year. Two unbelievably deserving choices nationalsportsmedia.org/news/nsma-el...