The Cleveland Guardians entered the final month of the 2025 MLB season on the outside looking in at a playoff spot.
In fact, the Guardians were viewed as a longshot to make the playoffs. Their AL Central rival Detroit Tigers had a stranglehold on the division and seemed poised for a division title.
Instead, Jose Ramirez and the Guardians went a stellar 20-7 over the season’s final month, outscoring opponents 124-75 during that stretch.
They not only closed the gap with the Tigers, but overtook them by a single game, finishing at 88-74 overall.
Of course, even if Cleveland had finished the year tied with Detroit, they’d have won the division anyway by holding the tiebreaker with the Tigers.
But now that’s all in the rearview as MLB postseason begins.
Here’s a look at the 2025 postseason bracket and where the Guardians fit in.
2025 MLB playoff bracket
While the Guardians did all that work in September to overtake Detroit for the division title, they’re not rid of them just yet.
Cleveland opens the 2025 MLB postseason in the AL Wild Card Series against the division foe, but the Guardians will get home-field advantage by proxy of having the superior record.
The winner of the wild card series between Cleveland and Detroit will move on to face slugging catcher Cal Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners.
When do the Guardians play next?
Cleveland kicks off the AL Wild Card Series against Detroit Tuesday, Sept. 30.
First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
What is the Guardians schedule for the MLB playoffs wild card round?Tuesday, Sept. 30: AL Wild Card Game 1; 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)Wednesday, Oct. 1: AL Wild Card Game 2; 1 p.m. (ESPN)Thursday, Oct. 2: AL Wild Card Game 3 (if necessary); 1 p.m. (ESPN)