The Cleveland Guardians are about to begin the most crucial stretch of the season.
They will play the Detroit Tigers in a series that could make or break their playoff aspirations.
That’s why analyst Grant Puskar is pointing out just how important the first game will be for Cleveland.
“Massive day for the Guardians. They begin a series with the Tigers in Detroit. [Joey] Cantillo will face [Casey] Mize. Cleveland sits 6.5 GB of the Tigers and 3 GB in the Wild Card race. 13 games left in the regular season for Cleveland,” Puskar wrote on X.
Massive day for the #Guardians.
They begin a series with the #Tigers in Detroit. Cantillo will face Mize.
Cleveland sits 6.5 GB of the Tigers and 3 GB in the Wild Card race. 13 games left in the regular season for Cleveland.
— Grant Puskar (@grant_puskar_) September 16, 2025
The fact that the Guardians still have a chance not only to make the playoffs but also to win the AL Central speaks volumes about their resilience.
The Tigers have regressed after an excellent start, and while the Guardians haven’t been the most consistent team, they’ve remained in pursuit of a postseason berth.
They still have six games against the Tigers, and closing the gap will be crucial to their playoff hopes.
The Guardians know that they don’t have any margin for error, and as such, they need to make sure that they enter this series with a postseason approach.
They are playing their best baseball of the season right now, and they boast one of the best pitching staffs in the game over the past couple of weeks.
Cantillo will be under a lot of pressure in the most important start of his young career to date.
If he wants to prove that he deserves a spot in the playoff rotation, this is a perfect opportunity.
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