The Cleveland Guardians have an uphill climb if they want to make the 2025 playoffs
Guardians playoffs chances take big hit after Braves sweep originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Cleveland Guardians had gone on a slight run to propel them back into the American League playoff picture. Before their three-game set with the Atlanta Braves, the Guardians had gone 17-8 since the All-Star break, and came within 0.5 games of the New York Yankees.
After being swept by the Braves in a three-game series that saw the Guardians score just five total runs, Cleveland now sits 3 games back of the final Wild Card spot, and the Kansas City Royals are now hot on their heels.
Guardians' playoff chances dip by more than 10%
According to fan graphs, the Guardians had a 29.9% chance of making the playoffs as of August 14. As of August 17, their odds now sit at 15.1%. A nearly 15 percent drop after losing three consecutive games.
Jose Ramirez did not record a hit in the Braves series, and if the Guardians want to increase those low playoff odds, they will need him to carry the offense for the remaining 40 or so games on the schedule.
It happens almost every single year in MLB that a team goes on a winning streak at some point in September to make the playoffs after being discredited or written off. The Cleveland Guardians could be that team this year, but they would have to go on a run, and also rely on other teams like the Yankees and Royals to also continue losing.
A bright spot of the Guardians has been their pitching staff, but the lack of offense is really starting to hold them back.
Category: Baseball
