Cleveland clinched a wild-card berth in dramatic fashion as Johnathan Rodríguez punctuated the rally with a two-run homer, and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch kept the pressure on after Arias was intentionally walked to reach Kayfus. Cantillo delivered a bright spot on the mound, while Cade Smith cemented the closer role in a pivotal late-season push. The Guardians head to a division-deciding game with the Rangers, where Logan Allen faces Patrick Corbin in a must-win scenario.

The late-inning sequence underscored Cleveland's surprising turn-around this season: from rough stretches to cohesive depth up and down the lineup, bullpen strength, and clutch hitting fueling a playoff chase that keeps escalating as the schedule tightens. Fantasy managers should watch the bullpen and the top-of-the-order bats as Cleveland aims to extend its momentum into October.

Week 26 of 2025 brings a deep pool of starting pitchers on the waiver wire as playoff pushes heat up. Top shalers include Emmet Sheehan and Ryne Nelson, each offering mixed strikeout upside and ratios that can anchor a fantasy staff in shallower leagues. Deeper-league options like Brandon Sproat and Trey Yesavage add upside with low ownership, while names such as Joey Cantillo and Ian Seymour offer late-season run-ins for contenders chasing streaming wins. Prepare for a mix of veteran floor and young upside as the rotation turns into playoff mode.

Expect pitchers who can deliver quality innings with favorable matchups and a path to wins. Sheehan’s multi-role usefulness, Nelson’s ratio control, and Warren’s steady output stand out for week-long streams. In deeper formats, Sproat and Yesavage carry upside with limited track records, while Cantillo and Tong could surprise in favorable late-season slots. Track bullpen usage, park factors, and opponent lineups to maximize weekly streaming value.

Stay proactive with these adds as the calendar closes. If your league uses platoon-heavy or bullpen-heavy scoring, verify the schedule density and the likelihood of spot starts. The right mix of proven innings and lottery-ticket arms can propel fantasy rosters into the postseason.

Guardians surge into contention with a nine-game win streak, cutting a 15.5-game gap to Detroit to one with six to play, and closing in on the AL wild-card and best record. After trading Bieber and Sewald, Cleveland’s offense has shown grit, with Ramirez, Naylor, Valera and Schneemann homering in a doubleheader sweep of Minnesota. Logan Allen and Slade Cecconi combined for 15 scoreless innings as Vogt praised the group; a pivotal Tigers series looms to decide the Central and tiebreakers.

The run includes 15 of 16 wins, a dynamic rally that turns late-season questions into real postseason possibility as Hinch calls the fall dramatic and Vogt emphasizes staying locked in; the six-game sprint to the finish could rewrite the division narrative.