Cleveland Guardians comeback means nothing if they can't beat Tigers, Rangers

On Sept. 4, the Cleveland Guardians were under .500 and it looked like the team would limp to the finish line.

Fast forward less than three weeks later and the previous statement couldn't be farther from the truth. The Guardians are 15-2 since last falling under .500 and are just one game back of the AL Central lead that is held by the Detroit Tigers, who have been in first place for nearly the entire season.

A sweep of the Tigers by the Guardians in Detroit last week certainly helped the tides switch into Cleveland's favor, but the team controls its own destiny going into the last six games of the season.

Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Jose Ramirez runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Minnesota Twins. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

While a 6-2 loss against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday snapped a 10-game win streak for the Guardians, the team still is in a good position to stick around in the playoff picture. Their results in the final six games of the season will ultimately dictate whether the Guardians will be playing into October or not.

It all starts with three games against the Tigers at Progressive Field from Tuesday until Thursday. It's a massive series that will likely determine who ends up winning the AL Central. The loser of the series could settle for a Wild Card berth, but chances are that the losing team will have ground to make up and need some help to get into the postseason.

Simply put, this series against the Tigers is pretty much a playoff series, which is the mindset the team has adopted all month long. The only difference is that the Guardians can actually take over first place in the AL Central.

“We couldn't be more excited to get back home,” manager Steven Vogt said about this upcoming homestand. “I know it's school nights, I know people work, but we need our fans. We need to pack out Progressive. ... The boys are ready. We know what’s at stake, and it's going to be a lot of fun this week.”

If the Guardians can take two out of three against the Tigers or sweep the series, they will be in first place in the division, allowing them to clinch a playoff berth if they can also win a series against the Texas Rangers at home over the weekend.

It's all coming down to the nitty gritty, but the Guardians fought back hard to have a chance this week, so now they need to take what's rightfully theirs.