Guardians Clinch Postseason with Low-Scoring Win Over Red Sox, Look for Central Crown Now

Cleveland has officially punched their ticket to the postseason with a decisive and hard-fought victory on Thursday night.

Sep 24, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Cleveland Guardians celebrate after clinching a playoff berth at Fenway Park after a game against the Boston Red Sox. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cleveland Guardians are headed to the 2026 MLB playoffs.

After a big time, series win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night, the Guardians are officially a playoff team once again. In a season full of ups-and-downs and another late season surge, there will be baseball in Cleveland this October.

Punched our ticket, but we want more.#GuardsBall | #StandGuard pic.twitter.com/37NO13rNfU

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) September 25, 2026

It’s clear the Guardians are going for more than a wild card round appearance, as they still control their own destiny in competing for a division title as well.

As of right now, Cleveland is still one game ahead of Chicago in the foot race for the AL Central crown. The Guardians need to do their best at winning their final three games to ensure this happens, as the White Sox still have the tiebreaker over the Guardians.

It will be interesting to see how these final three games play out, as the Guardians are set for a three-game series against the bottom feeding Kansas City Royals. 

Here’s a look at what’s next for Cleveland through the end of the regular season.

Three final games to clinch the division and get a first round bye

Sep 24, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Angel Martinez (1) and shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) and third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) celebrate after clinching a playoff berth at Fenway Park after a game against the Boston Red Sox. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Guardians have a very realistic chance of winning out and guaranteeing a division title for the second year in a row. Facing the Royals in their final three games was a real gift, but the Royals won’t lay down for Cleveland and let them win easily.

The Royals will have their three best pitchers on the mound through the weekend, so this Guardians offense will need to heat up after only scoring five runs in the last four games. This mix of young players and veterans for Cleveland know they can get the bats rolling.

Led by superstar third basemen Jose Ramirez, the Guardians have put together a team that is by far the best group of players on paper that they’ve had in a while. Even with lesser appealing teams, the Guardians always seem to find a way into the playoffs.

This time it's different for Cleveland, as their front office went out at the trade deadline and added key players that have fueled their surge in both August and September. Bringing in Jo Adell and Nathaniel Lowe were important signings, and Foster Griffin’s addition to the starting rotation helped fix a major need.

Having young contributors like Chase DeLauter, Travis Bazzana, and Angel Martinez on this team has also instilled new life into the offense. Then, a breakout season by Brayan Rocchio has also solved their need for an everyday shortstop. 

This team knows they got half of the job finished by clinching a postseason berth, but they know the job isn’t finished until they win the division. They’ll look to make that dream a reality this weekend when they travel to Kansas City to close out the season.