Guardians Have a New Problem After Winning the AL Central

After winning the AL Central, the Guardians suddenly have a potential problem that they'll need to ensure doesn't sneak up on them in the playoffs.

Sep 25, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Guardians right fielder Jo Adell (7) runs to first base after a hit during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cleveland Guardians took care of business down the stretch of the regular season and now find themselves as AL Central champions for a third straight season.

In their quest for the division crown, the Guardians stayed hot at the plate while getting quality starts out of their starting rotation. Now, they face a new problem with their start to the playoffs less than a week away.

One thing Cleveland hasn’t had much of this season is time off, as every MLB team wishes they had more during the long 162 game season. That may have been a good thing for the Guardians, as they were able to keep their team rolling from one game into the next.

Now, the Guardians have an extended amount of time off before they play again, which they haven’t had since the All-Star break.

If the Guardians hope to put together a deep playoff run in the postseason, they cannot let this time off sneak up on them once Saturday’s game one rolls around.

Time off hasn’t favored the Guardians in years past

Jun 30, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) reacts after a run scored on an error by left fielder Cooper Ingle (not pictured) during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Historically, when the Guardians secure a first-round bye, it has always presented itself with challenges in terms of getting back up to speed. The last time Cleveland skipped to the divisional round, they had their hands full with the Detroit Tigers.

In that series, Cleveland had to outlast Detroit in a full five game series before ultimately beating them in game five. Then, Cleveland ended up falling short to the New York Yankees in the next round, but the takeaway here is that Cleveland almost lost this series to Detroit.

Flashback to the 2018 postseason, the Guardians found themselves in a big-time matchup against the Houston Astros. After putting together an incredible season, Cleveland was caught off guard and swept by Houston. The Astros took full advantage of their time off, whereas the Guardians fell flat after their extended break.

A year before that, the Guardians looked to avenge their World Series loss from a year prior by building on their momentum. They won 102 games in 2017 and had incredibly high hopes of competing for another championship. Those hopes were crushed by New York.

Apr 8, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Cleveland Indians second baseman Jose Ramirez against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In five games, the Yankees took care of business against a Guardians team that had all the talent in the world to push for a World Series run. Cleveland did win the first two games and took a commanding 2-0 in the series but would lose three in a row to New York from then on.

Having time off is always nice so that the players can recoup and prepare for the playoffs, but it has always been a deal breaker for the Guardians after finishing the season on a hot streak.

After finishing the 2026 regular season 16-9 in the month of September and seeing their bats stay consistent enough to put them over the top, they can’t let up now. Veteran superstar third basemen Jose Ramirez will need to lead this team and contribute during the postseason at the plate.

Sep 25, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) bats during the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’ll take impressive pitching from their starting rotation and some high-powered offense to prove this season wasn’t all attributed to luck. With a young and hungry Guardians team looking to make some noise in the postseason, they’ll need to come out in the divisional round ready for whichever team dares step into Progressive Field in October.

The corner of Carnegie and Ontario will be ramped up for postseason baseball, and the Guardians need to take full advantage of their time off to prepare for a hopeful run in the American League playoff bracket.