The Cleveland Guardians have been on a heater over the past couple of months and were looking to find a way to secure their spot in the American League postseason fun. Well, Texas Rangers pitcher Robert Garcia gave them their pass to keep on playing.
With the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Garcia hit C.J. Kayfus on his right shoulder, forcing in the game-winning run. Final score: Cleveland 3, Rangers 2.
In a season of interesting ways to lose a game, this took the cake.
Here's a great factoid from MLB.com: At one point, Cleveland lost 10 straight games (June 26-July 6). Now, according to the Elias Sports Bureau (a very trustworthy source of MLB information), the Guardians are just the fourth team in baseball history to make the postseason in a season in which they lost 10 straight games - joining the 2017 Dodgers, 1982 Braves and 1951 New York Giants.
The Rangers have just had a tough road to finish this 2025 MLB season off.
But they will look to secure a final victory on Sunday. In fact, the Rangers have called up their No. 3 prospect, pitcher Jose Corniell, and he's going to see some time on the mound.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy recalled seeing Corniell pitch during 2024's Spring Training time for Texas. "He just seemed mature beyond his years," Bochy said, according to Rangers reporter Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. "As far as pitching, good command, good secondary pitches he could throw for strikes any time. He’s just got a good feel for pitching. You don't see it that good for somebody his age."
During that Spring Training time, Corniell suffered an elbow injury that ultimately led to him getting Tommy John surgery. That sidelined Corniell for the entire 2024 minor-league season and a good chunk of 2025.
Now, though, he's going to reach the MLB ranks. Corniell already is with the team in Cleveland, so Guardians fans will get a chance to see a future fireballer take the mound.
With Cleveland's victory, the Houston Astros, who had put together quite a postseason run between 2017-24, will not make the postseason and head to Cancun or some other vacation spot.
Not the Guardians, though. Their run to the postseason will go down as one of the greatest in MLB history. The Rangers know what it feels like to reach postseason play, too. Texas will watch, though, from the dugout when the final out is recorded on Sunday and pack things up.