Guardians Lose to Rangers but Maintain AL Central Lead Tied with Tigers

The Cleveland Guardians remain tied with the Detroit Tigers for the AL Central lead despite a 7-3 loss to the Texas Rangers, with Alejandro Osuna hitting a three-run homer and rookie Jack Leiter striking out 10. The Guardians hold an 8-5 advantage over the Tigers in head-to-head matchups, which would give them the division title if both teams finish with identical records after the final games. Their magic number to clinch the division or secure a postseason berth stands at two, relying on a combination of Guardians wins and losses by either the Tigers or Houston Astros. Key players like Kyle Manzardo have contributed offensively, though Cleveland has dropped consecutive games for the first time since early September. Pitching performances have been mixed, with Joey Cantillo set to start the next game after recent struggles from other pitchers. The Guardians' playoff path is still clear, needing just a few favorable outcomes in the final games to ensure postseason participation and potentially host a Wild Card Series.