Guardians clinching scenarios: How Cleveland can clinch playoff spot based on Astros, Tigers outcomes

Billy Heyen

Guardians clinching scenarios: How Cleveland can clinch playoff spot based on Astros, Tigers outcomes image

For much of the season, it looked like the Cleveland Guardians could make other plans for the time when the MLB postseason was scheduled for.

Not anymore.

The Guardians are on a ridiculous run, and they're now on the precipice of the postseason.

Both the AL Central Division and a Wild Card spot are in play for the Guardians.

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Here's how it lines up:

Guardians clinching scenarios

The Guardians' magic number for clinching a playoff spot at all is 1 when compared to the Houston Astros.

A Guardians win on Saturday over the Texas Rangers or an Astros loss to the Angels on Saturday would ensure Cleveland is going to the postseason.

The Guardians' AL Central Division magic number is 2.

Cleveland needs to match or outdo the Detroit Tigers over the final two games of the season to win the division.

The Guardians can win the division Saturday if they both win and have the Tigers lose to the Red Sox. If the teams have the same result Saturday, the division title will be decided Sunday.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle