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Cleveland Guardians Clinch Playoff Berth, Eye First World Series Title Since 1948

12:10 AM ETConfirmed

Sports Desk

In Short: The Guardians will face the Minnesota Twins in a three-game series, with the Twins trying to stay in the American League playoff race.

With Thursday night's win, the Cleveland Guardians clinched a playoff berth, joining an American League field that includes the Rays, Yankees, Red Sox, and White Sox, with one spot still to be decided.

The Guardians have been in a back-and-forth tussle with the White Sox for the division title, and that race seems destined to go down to the wire.

For now, the Guardians will take a playoff berth for the third time in manager Stephen Vogt's three-year tenure.

Going back into Terry Francona's tenure, the Guardians have now qualified for the playoffs in eight of the last 11 seasons.

That's especially the case in the playoffs, where contemporary managers focus on getting their starters out before damage happens as opposed to being reactive.

Consider how the Cleveland bullpen ranks this season: Given the strength of the bullpen at the forward-looking FIP and K% levels, you can argue this is the most playoff battle-ready bullpen around.

The Guardians are also hoping to get Colin Holderman (wrist) back from the injured list before the playoffs begin.

As for their No. 3, deadline addition Foster Griffin still has stabilizer potential even though he's struggled on the run-prevention front since joining Cleveland.

The Guardians will face the Minnesota Twins in a three-game series, with the Twins trying to stay in the American League playoff race.

The Twins remain 3.5 games back of that last playoff spot, with just 22 games remaining in the 2026 regular season.

The Guardians' playoff berth is a significant milestone for the franchise, which has been in contention for much of the season.

The race for the American League Central title remains tight, with the Guardians and White Sox still battling for the top spot.

Background

What's confirmed

• The Cleveland Guardians are headed back to the postseason.

What's still developing

• While many hurdles remain, the Guardians will be angling to win the franchise's first World Series title since 1948.
• That's the longest current title drought in Major League Baseball.
• It's baseball, which means any team in the playoffs has realistic designs on going all the way, and the Guardians in particular have some factors in their favor.
• Fans of both the Cubs and the White Sox celebrated Thursday after the teams clinched playoff spots on the same day in a historic first.
• The Chicago White Sox are headed back to the playoffs after their win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday.
• The victory ensures the White Sox will be headed back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2021 season, and it is the highlight of what has been an improbable return to contention for the South Siders.
• Chicago had lost 100 or more games in each of the last three seasons, and in qualifying for the postseason, the team has made history as the first MLB squad to ever reach the playoffs after such a prolonged run of misery.
• A division title would in all likelihood mean a bye into the American League Division Series, while a wild card spot would force them to play the winner of the American League West in a best-of-three Wild Card Series on the road.
• Coby Mayo hit a tie-breaking three-run inside-the-park home run in the 11th inning Tuesday night for the visiting Baltimore Orioles, who stormed back to beat the New York Mets 7-5 in the middle game of a three-game interleague series.
• The big race to watch in the National League is the wild card, with the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres all in contention to secure the top wild card spot – and host the best-of-three wild card series.
• The NL Central ( Milwaukee Brewers ) and NL West ( Los Angeles Dodgers ) titles have already been clinched, leaving four of baseball's six divisions still not secured.
• The AL West race also features the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers within one game – and the team who comes in second likely missing out on the playoffs.

Sources

• CBS Sportslink
• NBC 5 Chicagolink
• Fieldlevelmedialink
• USA Todaylink
• Twinsdailylink
• Minnesotasportsfanlink
• Bosoxinjectionlink
• Foxsportslink
• CBS Sportslink
• The New York Timeslink
• Inewslink
• Justjaredlink
• Afalink
• WarpBeat — background on Yankees Clinch Playoff Berth: Three Reasons Why They Can End Drought This Year link
• MLB — video link