The Cleveland Guardians have a magic number that will dictate whether or not they win the AL Central in their final homestand.
Sep 25, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38) stretches before batting in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Though falling to the Detroit Tigers 4-2 on Sept. 25, the Guardians won two out of three games in the final regular-season series between the two foes.
Advertisement
After a 5-1 win on Sept. 24 against Detroit with a stellar pitching performance from Tanner Bibee (6.0 innings, 1ER, 5Ks), the Guardians passed the Tigers in the AL Central, but now share an identical record at 86-73 after the loss on Thursday. However, Cleveland is still in control of its destiny because it owns the tiebreaker with an 8-5 head-to-head record against Detroit.
Cleveland will finish its season with a three-game home series against the Texas Rangers starting Sept. 26.
Keep reading to find out what a magic number is and what the Cleveland Guardians’ magic number is to make the 2025 MLB postseason.
What is a magic number in Major League Baseball?
In MLB, the phrase “magic number” refers to a formula used to determine how close a team is to clinching either a playoff spot or a division title. It represents the combination of a team’s wins and its closest competitor’s losses needed to clinch.
Advertisement
Formula to determine magic number: (Total games played in a season) +1 – (Total wins for Team A – total losses for Team B).
What is the magic number for the Cleveland Guardians to win the AL Central in 2025?
The Cleveland Guardians’ magic number to clinch the AL Central is 3. If Detroit wins its final three games of the 2025 regular season against the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland must win its final three games against the Texas Rangers. If the Tigers win two games, the Guardians must win two out of three games, and so forth.
When do the Cleveland Guardians play next?
The Cleveland Guardians will host the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field on Sept. 26 at 7:10 p.m.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Cleveland Guardians’ magic number to win 2025 AL Central division