Guardians’ loss to Royals could have major play-off implications

Guardians’ loss to Royals could have major play-off implications

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And just like that, the Cleveland Guardians’ nine-game lead in the American League Central in early June has been wiped out to zero, with the Kansas City Royals now joint-leading the division.

That move came about Tuesday night when the Royals convincingly defeated the Guardians 6-1. Kansas City’s offense exploded in the final minutes and Cleveland never got it going.

However, this game, even in late August, could have major implications for the October playoffs. Kansas City’s win over the Guardians on Tuesday clinches a season series win against Cleveland, which is the primary tiebreaker between two teams in the event they finish with identical records.

This effectively gives the Royals an extra game over the Guardians in the division. It’s the same tiebreaker Cleveland currently has over the Minnesota Twins.

The tiebreaker, now held by the Royals, could determine whether the Guardians have home-field advantage in the playoffs, what their standings are and whether they even make the playoffs.

Andres Gimenez jumps for a throw to second base

Aug 26, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez (0) jumps for the throw as Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) steals second base during the first inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The season series between the Royals and the Guardians was never really close.

Cleveland first saw the Royals in early June when the two teams split a two-game series, with one game postponed due to weather. The next time they faced each other was in Kansas City in late June, and the Royals won three of the four games in that series. That brings us to August, where KC has already won the first three games of the series, with one more game remaining on Wednesday afternoon.

One of the Guardians’ biggest shortcomings this season has been how they’ve played against their own division, which could hurt them and their chances of returning to the postseason in October.