CLEVELAND — Guardians manager Stephen Vogt would have been crazy to agree with the premise, so he rejected it as if he were peak Hakeem Olajuwon defending the rim.
The Guardians have been in playoff mode since the beginning of September. It’s how they needed to operate to claw back into the American League Central Division and wild-card races.
Advertisement
After losing 7-3 to the Texas Rangers on Sept. 26 at Progressive Field, the Guardians still control their own destiny, and they’re in a good spot because the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros lost on the same night. The Guardians’ matchup Sept. 27 against the Rangers will be a win-and-in scenario for Cleveland because its magic number to secure at least a wild-card spot is one.
But the Guardians also left the door ajar for failing to complete the mission.
We’ve all seen NBA teams rally from 20-point deficits, only to run out of gas in the final minutes and lose after tying the score when it seemed to be a near-impossible task.
Will the Guardians suffer a similar fate after expending the requisite energy to mount a historic comeback, one in which they overcame a 15½-game deficit to climb atop the division standings? And in the event they qualify for the playoffs, will they be drained? The Guardians had the look of a team riding a hot streak at the right time before back-to-back losses raised questions.
Advertisement
MLB playoff picture: Where Cleveland Guardians sit in AL Central, wild-card standings
Texas Rangers right fielder Billy McKinney, left, and relief pitcher Phil Maton celebrate after the Rangers beat the Cleveland Guardians on Sept. 26, 2025, in Cleveland.
Vogt’s glass-half-full take: The Guardians (86-74) live for high-leverage moments and won’t be burned out when it matters most.
“This group doesn’t get fazed by anything,” he said.
Vogt’s team has two regular-season games remaining: 7:15 p.m. Sept. 27 and 3:10 p.m. Sept. 28 against the Rangers (81-79). Playoff games ensuing remains the most likely scenario for Cleveland.
The pressure has flipped on the Guardians, though. They had nothing to lose while they chased the AL Central rival Tigers for most of this month. Now the Guardians are the ones trying to avoid wasting a golden opportunity. Meanwhile, the Rangers have outscored the Guardians 26-5 this season and are cast in the spoiler role.
Advertisement
Guardians recap vs. Rangers: Cleveland drops second consecutive game
The Guardians’ magic number to clinch the AL Central title is two. They caught a break when the Tigers lost 4-3 on Sept. 26 at the Boston Red Sox. Cleveland and Detroit (86-74) entered Sept. 27 with the same record, yet the Guardians own the tiebreaker against the Tigers.
The Guardians caught another break when the Astros (85-75) lost 4-3 on Sept. 26 at the Los Angeles Angels. The result reduced the Guardians’ magic number to clinch at least a wild-card spot to one. The Guardians hold the tiebreaker against the Astros, too.
Advertisement
The Guardians could clinch the AL Central title by winning their final two games, with one win and a Tigers loss or with two Tigers losses.
The Guardians could clinch at least a wild-card berth with one win or an Astros loss.
Or the Guardians could miss the playoffs altogether by failing to rebound the way Vogt envisions while the Tigers and Astros do enough on their end.
Vogt’s men have lost two consecutive games for the first time since they fell Sept. 1-2 in Boston. They are 18-7 this month.
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Slade Cecconi throws a pitch against the Texas Rangers on Sept. 26, 2025, in Cleveland.
Cleveland Guardians’ Slade Cecconi allows four runs, all in the first inning, against Texas Rangers
Guardians starting pitcher Slade Cecconi allowed four runs out of the gate against the Rangers. Even though Cleveland countered with Kyle Manzardo’s two-run home run to center field in the first inning, the Rangers maintained control the rest of the way and improved to 4-0 against the 2025 Guardians.
Advertisement
After Cleveland’s most recent defeat, the Guardians clubhouse was mostly empty and quiet while open to reporters. The mood contrasted with the night of Sept. 25, when music played in the clubhouse after a 4-2 loss to the Tigers, albeit in the third and final game of a series the Guardians had won.
“There’s no reason for them to sit by their lockers and think about everything that went wrong one day,” Vogt said. “We’re a winning team. We’re going to keep that winning mindset. We’re going to keep that winning spirit, and let’s see what happens.”
Spending a month in playoff mode before the postseason begins must be physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting, though it could also prove to be invaluable for a young team like the Guardians.
The effects will only be learned if they cross the regular season’s finish line as a playoff team. Regardless of other outcomes, they could assure it with one win this weekend.
Advertisement
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians’ intense comeback in MLB playoff race may be taking a toll