The 2026 MLB Playoff bracket is set, and the Cleveland Guardians know which of the two teams
All 162 regular-season games have been played, and the 2026 MLB playoff bracket is officially set.
The Cleveland Guardians locked themselves into the No. 2 spot on Saturday night after winning the American League Central, setting themselves up for a bye in the first round of the postseason.
That said, there were still a few dominoes that had to fall to determine which teams Cleveland could potentially match up with once the ALDS begins next Saturday.
Now, the Guardians await the winner of the Wild Card series, and these are the two teams facing off against one another, with the winner heading to Cleveland.
Houston Astros
Heading into Sunday, the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers were battling over the American League West, with the winner being one of Cleveland’s potential are the first team the Guardians could match up with, as the winner of the American League West won its division and claimed the No. 3 seed in the American League.
The Astros could present a tough matchup for the Guardians if they advance out of the Wild Card round. Cleveland went 2-4 against Houston during the regular season, struggling to generate offense and get outs in their six games.
The Guardians finished with a .227/.305/.348 slash line against Houston pitching, and Cleveland’s arms posted a combined 4.33 ERA and a 1.3 WHIP against the Astros’ bats.
That said, the Guardians last faced the Astros in mid-June, and before that, in April. Cleveland’s roster is objectively much different now than it was three months ago, but the regular-season numbers are not in their favor.
Apr 21, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) slides into second with a double as Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) is late with the tag during the fifth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesChicago White Sox
Unlike Cleveland’s first potential opponent, the other team the Guardians could match up with in the ALDS, they’re more than familiar with and just faced in a three-game playoff-like series during the final home stand.
The No. 6 in the American League, and a possible ALDS opponent for the Guardians, could be the Chicago White Sox.
If Cleveland and Chicago do face one another starting next weekend, it could be one of the tightest contested series in the playoffs. These teams know each other well and have played 13 close games, with a run difference of one in Chicago’s favor.
The White Sox will look for payback after losing the division to Cleveland in the final weekend of the season, and the Guardians will want to continue asserting their dominance over the AL Central.
Game 1 of the Wild Card series between the Astros and White Sox will start on Tuesday, with Game 2 on Wednesday and Game 3 (if necessary) on Thursday.
