The Guardians are closing in on October, but the final week of the regular season still has a few loose ends to clean up before the real games begin.
Cleveland lost to the Red Sox on Wednesday, yet the day still moved in its favor. The White Sox fell to the Royals, trimming the Guardians’ Magic Number in the American League Central, and the Rangers’ loss to the Mets brought the overall Magic Number down to one game. In other words, the postseason is basically there - and October baseball at Carnegie and Ontario looks inevitable.
What isn’t settled is how the Guardians want to line up once they get there. They’ve got three big questions to answer fast.
The first is the pitching plan, because that’s where the most uncertainty lives. Gavin Williams and Parker Messick give Cleveland a real edge at the top of a series, but the rest of the rotation is still muddy. The Guardians brought in Foster Griffin to be a shutdown starter in the postseason, and he flashed that upside Wednesday with a strong six-inning outing.
Joey Cantillo has also changed his profile in a hurry. He scuffled in August, then looked like a different pitcher after the Guardians moved him to the bullpen two weeks ago. He’s set to work as the bulk pitcher later today, and that shift may be pointing him toward a postseason role.
Then there’s Tanner Bibee, the only Guardians starter with a contract extension. Right now, though, his September has gone sideways - he’s carrying an 8.24 ERA this month, and that could be pushing him out of Cleveland’s October plans.
The Guardians have an open spot in the bullpen, and it would not be a shock if Cantillo takes one of those long-man jobs alongside Slade Cecconi. That raises the obvious question: is there still enough room for Bibee on the postseason roster, either as a starter or as a reliever?
He gets one more start before the season ends, and a strong one might be his last chance to force his way in.
The second issue is the division race itself. Cleveland may be all but guaranteed a playoff berth, but the American League Central is still live. The Guardians are up one game on the White Sox, and that edge comes with a warning label because Chicago owns the tiebreaker.
Winning the division matters because it changes the path. If Cleveland finishes first, it would face the winner of the Wild Card Series between the White Sox and the American League West winner.
If the Guardians slip into the Wild Card, they’d have to play the American League West winner first before meeting the White Sox in the American League Division Series. Cleveland would be favored against the White Sox, Rangers or Astros, but the division title also comes with five days off in the Division Series.
The postseason is nearly locked in, but the goal is bigger than just showing up.
And finally, there’s the back end of the roster - the part that usually gets sorted out late and can still swing a series. The top of the lineup feels pretty clear: Steven Kwan leading off, Chase DeLauter and José Ramírez in the middle, Brayan Rocchio in the No. 9 spot. The real debate is over the supporting cast.
Petey Halpin has given the Guardians solid defense in center field and delivered a huge swing against the White Sox last week. Daniel Schneemann is another name in the mix.
Last postseason, Cleveland carried 15 position players for the Wild Card Series, though most teams trim that to 14 for the Division Series so they can add an extra pitcher. The Guardians also have a “stay ready” camp in Triple-A, which leaves the door open for a surprise or two, even if nothing is going to match the shock of Chase DeLauter making his debut in the postseason.
The big picture is simple: the Guardians are almost there. But before October starts, they still need to settle the pitching, lock up the division and decide who gets the last few seats on the roster.
In Other News...
Josh Naylor Just Gave Cleveland A Playoff Boost They Desperately Needed
Josh Naylors walk-off single against the Astros gave Cleveland exactly the kind of late-inning lift it has been chasing in a tight September stretch. The hit not only delivered a needed win, it also dropped the Guardians magic number to clinch a postseason spot to one, putting them within striking distance of locking up a place in the playoff field with little margin left for error.
The ripple effects extended beyond Cleveland, too, with the result keeping the AL West race knotted as the Astros and Rangers stayed tied for the lead. It also bought the Mariners another day of hope in the postseason chase, even as Naylors own season has been uneven overall, which made the timing of the swing all the more meaningful for a Cleveland team looking for any edge it can get. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Take Unusual Mound Gamble With AL Central Stakes Rising
With four games left in the regular season, the Guardians are making a notable pitching choice for their series finale against the Red Sox. Daniel Espino is set to start, while Joey Cantillo is lined up for a bulk relief role, a setup Cleveland is using as it tries to keep a one-game edge over the White Sox in the AL Central.
The timing gives the move extra weight, because every inning now carries division implications and a possible first-round bye. Cleveland has spent the stretch run fighting to stay in control of its own fate, and the way it handles this matchup in Boston could shape how comfortable that path looks by the time the regular season ends. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Let Playoff Celebration Slip After Costly Missed Opportunity
A night that had the feel of a chance to tighten the grip on October ended with Cleveland blanked at Fenway Park, where the Guardians fell 1-0 to the Red Sox. Foster Griffin gave them a chance by working six innings and allowing just the one run, but Sonny Gray was even better for Boston and kept Cleveland off the board in a game decided by a sixth-inning score.
The defeat leaves the Guardians at 82-76 and sends the series into its next chapter tied, a frustrating result after the kind of slim-margin game playoff hopefuls are expected to find a way to steal. Instead, Cleveland heads out of this one still looking for that finishing touch, with little room left to waste opportunities as the race narrows. [Read more 🡒]