The Cleveland Guardians have improved their playoff chances after a grim outlook earlier this month.
About a week and a half ago, the Cleveland Guardians' chances of reaching the postseason for the third consecutive season didn't look great.
Even after acquiring several upgrades ahead of the trade deadline, the Guardians couldn’t seem to put together a complete game. However, the tide is starting to turn for Cleveland, and their hopes of playing in October are far from gone.
The Guardians have won their last two series, including a sweep over the Colorado Rockies over the weekend. Even though Cleveland is still under .500, they are now tied with the Texas Rangers for the final Wild Card spot.
On August 12, FanGraphs gave the Guardians a 31.7 percent chance of reaching the playoffs, and just a 19.9 percent chance of reaching.
Now, on August 24, Cleveland’s chances of making the playoffs have jumped to 46.9 percent with a 26.9 percent chance of winning the American League Central.
Aug 23, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cleveland Guardians center fielder Petey Halpin (0) and center fielder Steven Kwan (38) and left fielder Angel Martinez (1) react after the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images“I love the way we're playing,” manager Stephen Vogt said after Sunday’s win.
“Like I've said, I've been saying for a while, we just weren't winning games, but I like the way we're playing. The offense was tremendous these three days, and pitching continues to be great, and our defense has been really good as well.”
What Cleveland’s skipper was trying to get at was that the Guardians just weren't putting together complete games. At times, the offense or pitching clicked, but not both.
Now, the team really is starting to click. Over the last week’s worth of games, the Guardians have a .732 team OPS and a 1.67 team ERA. Those two numbers are a recipe for success.
Clearly, the Guardians are still in the thick of the postseason race in the American League. However, these numbers should show the team that a lot can change in just a week, for better or worse.
Cleveland has two more series left to play at this point in the schedule, where it should have the upper hand over its opponents.
The Chicago White Sox remain a serious threat in the division, and the American League playoff standings are still jumbled up. Still, it feels like the Guardians control their own destiny.
The Guardians can’t take their foot off the gas, and if they keep this pace of play up, Cleveland could be in sole possession of a playoff spot in no time.
