Cleveland Guardians Win 10th Straight, Close to AL Central Lead

The Cleveland Guardians have surged into serious playoff contention with a 10-game winning streak, including a dominant doubleheader sweep of the Minnesota Twins, where they secured back-to-back shutouts with scores of 8-0 and 6-0. This streak has propelled them to just one game behind the Detroit Tigers for the American League Central division lead, while also improving their wild-card standings position. Notably, the Guardians' pitching staff has been exceptional, allowing no more than two earned runs in 15 consecutive games, the longest such streak in franchise history. Star player José Ramírez achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first in franchise history to reach three 30-30 seasons (30 home runs and 30 stolen bases), underscoring his elite status. Manager Stephen Vogt and the team have been praised for their resilience and performance, having dramatically improved their playoff chances from just 9.2% in mid-July to 35% with nine games remaining. The upcoming series against the Detroit Tigers is expected to be pivotal in deciding the division and wild-card race as the Guardians continue their strong finish to the regular season.