The Cleveland Guardians have been in first place in the AL Central for 81 days this season. They are coming out of the All-Star break tied atop the division with the very surprising Chicago White Sox.
With an incredibly durable starting rotation, a highly regarded bullpen, and a lineup that is likely to get a boost when Jose Ramirez and Angel Martinez return from the injured list, the Guardians are well-positioned to remain there. That is before even considering any potential move Cleveland makes approaching the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline.
However, CBS Sports analyst Matt Snyder is predicting a notable finish for the Guardians in the AL Central, saying they will wind up second, not behind the White Sox, but the Detroit Tigers.
“I’m holding out hope that I’m wrong about the White Sox and they take this division because they’re one of the best stories in baseball. Plus, the Tigers hanging around means no Tarik Skubal trade and that’s not quite as fun. Still, I think the Tigers are gonna stay hot and win this thing with something terrible like 84 wins. Never count out the Guardians, however,” Snyder wrote.
Yet it seems that Snyder, and the rest of the CBS Sports panelists, are indeed counting out the Guardians. None of the four have Cleveland winning the division, with two choosing the White Sox and the other two naming the Tigers. Snyder predicts the AL Central will finish with the Tigers in first, followed in order by the Guardians, White Sox, Minnesota Twins, and Kansas City Royals.
Entering play Friday, the Guardians at 51-46 and White Sox at 50-45 are in a virtual tie for first place, with Chicago holding a very slim lead in winning percentage. The Twins are in third place, 3.5 games behind, while the Tigers sit in fourth place, 6.5 games back.
However, the Tigers have been consistently making up ground over the past two months. On May 26, they were 21-34 and in last place, 10 games behind the Guardians. Since then, Detroit has gone 23-18 to climb slightly in the standings.
The Tigers’ fortunes likely rest on their decision regarding Skubal, a two-time Cy Young Award winner who can become a free agent after this season. He would likely command a huge haul on the trade market leading up to the deadline, so Detroit may have to choose between pursuing a playoff berth or building for the future.
As for the Guardians, they could decide to stay the course and count on the players who have gotten them this far to push them over the finish line.
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