The Cleveland Guardians are playing for more than just a spot in the postseason. A playoff bye is still very much in the cards.
To say that there’s a lot on the line for the Cleveland Guardians over the next week is an understatement. Cleveland has put itself in a perfect position with just two series remaining in the regular season.
The Guardians don’t just have a chance of making the playoffs, but there’s a realistic scenario where Cleveland could get a bye in the first round, skip the Wild Card series altogether, and begin their playoff journey in the American League Division Series.
In fact, if the season ended after Saturday night’s slate of games, that’s exactly the position Cleveland would find itself in.
Here’s how that scenario could play out.
The two teams that get the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds are the top division winners by record, respectively. The Tampa Bay Rays have all but locked up the top overall record in the American League, leaving one more spot open.
As it stands, that second bye will likely go to whoever wins the American League Central title. The Texas Rangers are currently leading the American League West, but with a 78-77 record, they give the Guardians (80-75) and the Chicago White Sox (79-76) a chance at the No. 2 seed.
Sep 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third base Jose Ramírez (11) greets manager Stephen Vogt while being introduced before game one of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn ImagesIf Cleveland finds a way to win the division, not only will they head back to the playoffs for the third time in the last four years, but they can also
The Guardians have had a bye under the current playoff format. That happened during the 2024 season, when Cleveland eventually defeated the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS but fell to the New York Yankees in the ALCS.
Not to get too far ahead of things, but a potential bye for this iteration of the Guardians could do wonders in their hopes of having a long October.
Even though Cleveland only has a few players technically on the injured list, there are numerous players on the roster who are banged up and could greatly benefit from a week off, including Jose Ramirez, Chase DeLauter, Angel Martinez, and now Brayan Rocchio, just to name a few.
Again, Cleveland can’t look too far into the future, but knowing that a playoff bye is still very much a possibility should be even more motivation to finish the year strong and find a way to stay ahead of the White Sox to win the division.
