Cleveland Guardians Control Their Own Destiny In MLB Playoff Race

The Cleveland Guardians faced significant criticism over the offseason for how they managed the roster, trading away two mainstays in the lineup and seemingly not replacing them. Cleveland then faced more disapproval following their lack of moves ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

Some of that criticism is fair and well-warranted, but that doesn't need to be the focus right now.

Even with some of these questionable decisions, the Guardians are far from being out of the playoff picture. In fact, Cleveland is right in the thick of the postseason race for one of the three wild-card spots.

Heading into Wednesday’s slate of games, the Guardians held a 58-55 record and were just 1.5 games out of the final playoff spot. Currently, the Texas Rangers (+0.5), New York Yankees (+1.5), Seattle Mariners (+2.5), and Boston Red Sox (+5.5) lead the Guardians in the postseason race.

The good news for Cleveland is that, in a way, they control their destiny of playing October baseball.

Jul 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges (right) celebrates with right fielder Nolan Jones (center) and left fielder Steven Kwan (left) after scoring during the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

The Guardians still have six games to play against the Rangers (including the final regular-season series of the year), three games against the Mariners, and three games against the Red Sox.

Cleveland’s season series with the Yankees is over, with each team winning three games in head-to-head matchups. However, right now, the Guardians own the tiebreaker with New York because Cleveland has a 20-12 record against their own division, where the Yankees have a 14-19 record against the AL East.

It may be a long shot, but it's worth noting that the Guardians have cut into the Detroit Tigers' lead in the division, which is down to 7.0 games, as the Tigers have struggled over the last month while Cleveland surges.

Since the All-Star Break, the Guardians have been one of the best teams in baseball. Their 12-6 record is tied for the best in the AL since the hiatus, Cleveland’s .757 OPS ranks fifth in the American League, and they have scored the sixth-most runs (93) in MLB. The pitching has been on point too, recording a team ERA of 3.53 and a 1.10 WHIP.

May 14, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians first baseman Kyle Manzardo (9) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Guardians are certainly playing like they’re a playoff team right now, and, more importantly, the team believes they are one.

“Yeah, absolutely, [we have a chance to make the playoffs]. I think we have a good group and we got some momentum going on,” said Steven Kwan during a recent media availability. “The pitching has been solid. I think the hitting is coming around. I mean, I think we’ve got a good shot at things. Just capture that momentum and keep going. I think we can make a nice little run.”

The AL Wild Card race is going to be a think battle and could very likely come down to the final week of the season.

If the Guardians keep playing well and are able to grab some wins against the teams ahead of them in the standings, they could very well be in the playoffs after all 162 games have been played.

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