The Cleveland Guardians are flying high right now.
They’re riding a six-game winning streak, and they’re nine games above .500 for the first time this season.
They’ve also won two huge games against the Detroit Tigers, and they’ll look to make it a series sweep.
Analyst Anthony Lima went as far as to guarantee that the Guardians will make the playoffs with a victory.
“You know what? Yes, absolutely. I feel like they can back it up, for one. I think going to this six-man rotation is a stroke of genius. They’ve got Detroit very nervous,” Lima said.
🚨GUARANTEE🚨@SportsBoyTony tells @KenCarman that he GUARANTEES the #Guardians will make the playoffs IF they beat Tarik Skubal and the Tigers today🔥
He says Tigers fans are getting nervous👀 pic.twitter.com/WD6mFzHTpK
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) September 18, 2025
As blunt as that may sound, he could be right.
The Guardians have four games left against the AL Central leaders, and as things stand now, they’re 4.5 games behind.
As such, defeating them head-to-head is the best way to keep closing the gap.
Of course, both the Tigers and Guardians will lose some more games along the way.
But while the Guardians are playing their best baseball of the season, the Tigers are falling back to earth after a strong start to the campaign.
The Guardians would essentially be playing with house money, all while putting all pressure on their rivals for the remainder of the season.
Dropping this series finale won’t necessarily be a catastrophe or the end of the road, but winning it will certainly paint a much more favorable picture for them.
The Guardians will trust Tanner Bibee to take care of business against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.
Though Bibee hasn’t been the most consistent hurler this season, he’s the type of player you want out there in a high-stakes situation.
NEXT: Bruce Drennan Reveals Thoughts On Guardians' Resiliency
