Guardians' Win Over The Twins Could Have Major Playoff Implications
Terry Francona said last week that his team will "play until they tell us to go home." They didn't make it any easier on themselves, but the Cleveland Guardians don't have to go home just yet. They actually helped their chances of winning the division on Wednesday after beating the Minnesota Twins, 2-1.
Cleveland may have dropped their home series against the Twins, but they were able to take the series finale from their division rival. Salvaging one game after being blown out in the first two may not seem like a big deal, but it could have major playoff implications.
The Guardians clinched a season-series victory over Minnesota with Wednesday's win. This one win could be important for Cleveland down the line. The new MLB rules state that there will be no game 163. Essentially if two teams atop the division are tied when the regular season wraps up, they won't play a winner-take-all game.
Instead, the tiebreaker will go to whoever won the season series between the two teams.
In this case, Cleveland owns the tiebreaker over Minnesota because they finished the season going 7-6 against them. If the Guardians can somehow find a way to play immaculate baseball over the next three weeks with a little help from the Twins' opponents they could be looking at another postseason berth.
Jul 26, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Jose Ramirez (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
If the Guardians and Twins finish with the same record then Cleveland will be awarded a spot in the playoffs and not Minnesota.
This scenario may not have great odds to happen, but it's still one that could play out.
