Cleveland surged from a historic late-season hole to clinch the AL Central, riding a sharp late run and a pivotal three-game sweep of Detroit to secure both the season series and the tiebreaker. Detroit’s collapse, powered by an 8-16 September, opened the door for Cleveland’s second straight title as José Ramírez led the charge with a near-6 WAR season, aided by Steven Kwan, Gavin Williams, and Daniel Schneemann. Off-field intrigue surfaced as Luis L. Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase were placed on administrative leave while MLB investigates gambling-related questions. The Guardians’ playoff bid begins with a Wild Card Series against the Tigers, a rematch that promises a high-contrast test of depth and discipline.

Key names litter the storyline: Ramírez’s bat and versatility, Kwan’s on-base prowess, Williams’ consistency, and Schneemann’s multi-positional value defined the stretch run. Cleveland leveraged one of the league’s easier schedules to stack wins and snatch control late, even as Shane Bieber was moved to Toronto for upside. The table is set for a quick, intriguing postseason sprint against Detroit.

Guardians pull off one of baseball’s wildest turnarounds, erasing a 10-game skid to clinch a playoff berth on a walk-off hit-by-pitch from C.J. Kayfus that scored Petey Halpin. The moment capped a September surge that vaulted Cleveland into the postseason in improbable fashion.

Kwan and Ramírez anchored the offense; Rodríguez supplied a timely homer after a recall. Vogt’s steady leadership kept the team focused through distractions around Clase and Ortiz, setting up a home Wild Card Series as Cleveland completes one of the sport’s most dramatic comebacks.

The Guardians climbed from a towering September deficit to seal a postseason berth in dramatic fashion: a bases-loaded walk-off hit-by-pitch vs Texas capped a small-ball, pitching-driven comeback. With Houston’s loss and late-season momentum, Cleveland eyes the AL Central title and a home wild-card tilt, drawing on depth and opportunistic offense as key to their run.