MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 20: Jose Ramirez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning of game one of a doubleheader at Target Field on September 20, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
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Take a breath, Cleveland Guardians fans.
Your team did it.
On Saturday, September 27, the Cleveland Guardians entered the Major League Baseball postseason for the second consecutive season in an incredible, highly unlikely way.
The Guardians defeated the Texas Rangers, 3-2 before a sellout crowd at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
Tied with the Texas Rangers at the bottom of the 9th inning, Texas Rangers manager, Bruce Bochy elected to walk Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias, loading the bases.
The next batter, C. J. Kayfus, who entered the game as a pinch hitter for first baseman Jhonkensy Noel in the 8th inning, was hit by a pitch from Rangers left-handed reliever, Robert Garcia.
Ironically, Kayfus hits left-handed, and the matchup of Garcia and Kayfus seemed ideal for Garcia.
It was not to be.
Here’s how the epic bottom of the 9th inning unfolded for Cleveland:
Johnathan Rodriguez walked to lead off the inning. He had homered and singled earlier in the game.
Speedster Petey Halpin ran for Rodriguez.
With two outs, first baseman Kyle Manzardo blooped a single to shallow left field, putting runners on the corners, as Halpin was off with the pitch.
Shortstop Gabriel Arias drew an intentional walk, loading the bases.
C. J. Kayfus was hit by a Garcia pitch, and the bedlam began.
When Halpin touched home plate, the Guardians had reached the playoffs.
Incredible, but true.
CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 23: Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams (32) is congratulated in the dugout following the fourth inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians on September 23, 2025, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Improbable Run To The Playoffs:
At one point in the season the Guardians had lost their tenth consecutive game on July 6, 2025. Ten games in a row, and it seemed the team could forget about any chance to play October baseball.
But then something happened.
Led by righty Gavin Williams, while the Guardians have been challenged to score runs all season, their pitching was spectacular. Both the rotation and the bullpen were virtually unbeatable.
As noted by MLB.com, The Guardians went 23-9 from July 7-August 14.
The Guardians were 11 games behind the Detroit Tigers for the lead in the MLB Central Division as recently as the beginning of September.
The Guardians will enter the final day of the MLB season September 28 tied with the Detroit Tigers for first place in the American League Central Division.
If both teams win, or if both teams lose their final game, the Guardians will be the Division Champs. The Guardians hold the tiebreaker, as they have won the season series with the Tigers.
Regardless of what happens on the final day of the season on Sunday, the Guardians will be in the postseason.
At one point, the outstanding Guardians starting rotation went 19 consecutive games giving up two or fewer runs. It was the longest Cleveland streak in 100 years.
The streak ended September 25, when the Texas Rangers got to starter Peter Messick for four runs in his five innings of work.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 20: Jose Ramirez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians advances to third base against the Minnesota Twins in the fourth inning of game two of a doubleheader at Target Field on September 20, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
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Jose Ramirez and “Guards Ball” get it done:
The Guardians are a team that is in the bottom three among Major League Baseball teams in scoring runs. Only the Colorado Rockies, and Pittsburgh Pirates have scored less.
The Guardians have a team batting average of .225.
But despite the team’s offensive woes, All Star, and All World third baseman Jose Ramirez has been the catalyst behind most of the Guardians offense.
Where would the Guardians be without the 34 doubles, 30 homers, 85 RBIS, and 40 stolen bases Ramirez has produced?
If Ramirez slumps, so do the Guardians.
But the team has managed to claw their way to 87 wins by getting enough timely hits, or forcing defensive errors with aggressive base running.
Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt watches against the Detroit Tigers during the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
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Manager Stephen Vogt has been an ever-optimistic proponent of using his entire roster to grind out victories.
Vogt believes major league players are on the roster to play. He deploys a strict platoon regarding pitching matchups, giving his players their best opportunities for success.
The stellar Cleveland pitching is a story in itself.
That story however, will have to wait for another day.
On the last day of the season, the Cleveland Guardians will be trying to win the Central Division for the sixth time in the last 20 years.
But if the Tigers win the division, the Guardians will still enter the playoffs.
And it all happened when Robert Garcia hit C J Kayfus on the arm in the 9th inning of a tied game September 27. With the bases loaded.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/berniepleskoff/2025/09/28/cleveland-guardians-enter-mlb-playoffs-in-an-improbable-manner/
