The Cleveland Guardians are 83-76 for the season, are top of the American League Central, and have already clinched a playoff berth for the 2026 postseason. This weekend will decide whether they win the AL Central division title.

The season has fans looking forward to this year's playoffs following last year's historic 15.5-game comeback to win the 2025 division title. Another good run would start with the Guardians netting their second consecutive division title.

Recap of how the Guardians got to the playoffs

With perennial MVP candidate Jose Ramirez, Gold Glove outfielder Steven Kwan, and emerging ace pitcher Gavin Williams on the roster, fans were right to be excited.

The front office called up prospects early in the season. They were also aggressive at the trade deadline, two things the team usually does not do.

With top prospect Chase DeLauter making his MLB debut on Opening Day, and the number one pick in the 2024 MLB draft, Travis Bazzana, being called up in April, a lineup that has been known to struggle offensively got a much-needed boost.

DeLauter got off to a hot start, hitting two home runs in his MLB debut, and became just the second player in Major League history to hit four home runs in his first three games. Building off that start, he has totaled 15 home runs, 65 RBIs and has a batting average of .290 so far for the season.

Bazzana has also been a key contributor to the ball club. After being called up on April 28, Bazzana has hit 15 home runs, driven in 57 and has stolen 19 bases. 
 

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There has also been an emergence of another rookie, pitcher Parker Messick.

Fan reactions to the season

With the Guardians booked for the playoffs, Melissa Rocco believes Messick can play a big role for the Guardians in the postseason.

“Messick has really good stuff,” said Rocco. “Him and Gavin Williams in the playoffs would be a great one-two punch.”

Messick has a 2.55 earned run average and a WHIP of 1.04, and he is a contender for the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Meanwhile, Williams has the most strikeouts in the A.L. with 244, and has a WHIP of 1.08. 

Despite getting key contributions from young players, and the team being buyers at the trade deadline by acquiring hitters Nathaniel Lowe and Jo Adell, the team hovered around .500 for the majority of the season. Part of this is due to Jose Ramirez not being the MVP-caliber player everyone has become accustomed to seeing. 

With Ramirez’s stats across the board being below his career averages, it has been one of the worst statistical seasons for one of the franchise’s all-time greats.

However, Mike Lambert, 47, believes if Ramirez can get hot, this team can make a run in the playoffs.

“Jose has been great his whole career here,” said Lambert. “Unfortunately, this year has not been what we usually expect to see from him. If he can get back to his normal self, we can be dangerous in the playoffs.”

Ramirez broke his hand in June and has never been able to fully recover from the injury.

Despite the lack of production from Ramirez, at 87-76 (0.522), the Guardians currently lead the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central division by one game.

What's next

The Guardians are still fighting ahead of the final weekend of the regular season to lock down the AL Central division title and a potential first-round bye in the postseason.

Following that, the Guardians will make their ninth appearance in the playoffs since 2013. If Cleveland go on to win the World Series, it would be their first championship since 1948, which would end the longest drought in Major League Baseball.