In late May, the Cleveland Guardians had built a 4.5-game lead in the AL Central and looked to be on their way to not only their third straight division title but a first-round bye in the playoffs. A little more than two months later, the Guardians are in danger of missing the postseason completely.
Fortunately, in much the same way there was a long way to go when the Guardians held a seemingly comfortable advantage, there is plenty of time for them to get back on track and qualify for the playoffs after all. It would help if they could turn things around immediately, as they are about to begin a crucial three-game series against the division-leading Chicago White Sox on Friday.
After an extended slump that reached its low point in getting swept by the lowly New York Mets, the Guardians are facing an uphill battle for the MLB postseason, as they are among seven teams competing for the final AL wild-card berth.
“Dropped out since last month: Guardians, Mariners,” Manny Randhawa wrote. “The Guardians have fallen on hard times. On July 21, Cleveland had a share of the AL Central lead. Since then, it has dropped 11 of 14 games. And the Mariners have dropped 10 of their last 15 games after losing two of three at home against the Tigers.”
It was thought that Jose Ramirez and Angel Martinez returning from the injured list would boost the lineup and allow the Guardians to remain a favorite to reach the playoffs, if not win the division for a third straight year. Then, after some noteworthy trade deadline acquisitions, Cleveland looked to have fortified itself for a strong late-season push.
Instead, things have gone the wrong way, with the recent three straight losses to the Mets, at home, no less, part of a 6-13 record since the All-Star break. Fortunately, the White Sox did not run away with the division, going just 9-10 in that time, setting the stage for these very important upcoming games at Rate Field.
Meanwhile, the Tigers, who traded away two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal before the deadline, have moved within one-half game of the Guardians in the standings. After facing Chicago, Cleveland will visit Detroit for a four-game series at Comerica Park.
So, as quickly as things changed for the worse, they could change for the better for the Guardians over the next week.
NEXT: Analyst Raises A Big Concern For Slumping Guardians
