Perhaps the final playoff spot in the American League won't come from some sub-.500 team backing into it. Perhaps someone will seize the moment just like the Cleveland Guardians did – three times, in fact – this weekend.
The Guardians capped a roller-coaster week in startling fashion, winning three of four games from the Detroit Tigers – all their wins coming in walk-off fashion. All coming when they didn't lead for a single second all game – save for the decisive hit and the Gatorade baths and sunflower-seed showers. Daniel Scheeneman capped the trio of unlikely wins with a 10th-inning RBI single Sunday, Sept. 6, a dagger of a weekend for the Tigers but a potentially transformative one for the Guardians.
"We're in the hunt. The weather's starting
to turn. It's starting to feel like fall is coming. It’s starting to feel like we're chasing playoff baseball," closer Cade Smith told reporters Sunday after striking out five in two innings, helping the Guardians regain sole possession of the third wild card spot. They remain 2½ games behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central. And they maintained the No. 12 spot in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings.
A look at our updated MLB rankings:
1. Milwaukee Brewers (-)
- Matt Harrison's fastball is getting pummeled. Not what you want just weeks from October.
2. Atlanta Braves (+2)
- Remember Ronald Acuna Jr.? The Phillies wish they could forget.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)
- Window almost shut on Shohei Ohtani pitching again this season.
4. Tampa Bay Rays (-2)
- Yankees still lurking, just four games out.
5. New York Yankees (-)
- Will Aaron Judge be back this week? Seems like.
6. Chicago Cubs (-)
- In one sense, you can put Pete Crow-Armstrong's name in the same sentence as Mr. Cub.
7. Philadelphia Phillies (-)
- At long last, top prospect Aidan Miller makes his 2026 debut.
8. Boston Red Sox (-)
- Aroldis Chapman the ninth reliever to earn 400 saves.
9. San Diego Padres (+1)
- After going homerless until May 30, Fernando Tatis Jr. tops 20 home runs again.
10. Chicago White Sox (-1)
- Opponents are 5-for-52 against rookie lefty Hagen Smith.
11. Arizona Diamondbacks (-)
- Torey Lovullo says they "dodged a bullet" after Geraldo Perdomo struck in head by batted ball.
12. Cleveland Guardians (-)
- Miz-cuse me? Gavin Williams takes over major league strikeout lead with 227.
13. Houston Astros (-)
- One day after Junior Caminero seizes AL HR lead, Yordan Alvarez goes deep, regains Triple Crown standing.
14. Miami Marlins (+1)
- Kyle Stowers on track to become first Marlin with consecutive .800 OPS seasons since Giancarlo Stanton.
15. Toronto Blue Jays (-1)
- Pretty good week: They won the season series with Cleveland, which may loom large.
16. St. Louis Cardinals (-)
- Oliver Marmol on the right side of history earning ejection to defend Hancel Rincón.
17. Texas Rangers (+1)
- Jake Burger establishes career high with 82 RBIs.
18. Pittsburgh Pirates (+1)
- Paul Skenes isn't back-back, but 5⅓ shutout innings is encouraging, anyway.
19. Cincinnati Reds (+2)
- Eugenio Suárez earns U.S. citizenship, then homers, of course.
20. Baltimore Orioles (-3)
Spend $5 million on Luis Robert Jr. claim - then lose him to hamstring injury after three games.
21. Minnesota Twins (-1)
- Joe Ryan set to return Monday, but playoff hopes likely cooked.
22. Washington Nationals (+1)
- Just one blown save from tying all-time record.
23. Detroit Tigers (-1)
- 19-46 in games decided by two or fewer runs.
24. Seattle Mariners (-)
- Schedule very favorable – but not when you, too, are 20-33 the past two months.
25. New York Mets (-)
- A.J. Ewing ends drought of 209 plate appearances between home runs.
26. Kansas City Royals (-)
- Thirteen wins in 19 games. What does it mean? Who knows?
27. San Francisco Giants (-)
- Rafael Devers: 35 home runs, .855 OPS, impervious to foolishness.
28. Athletics
- Jamie Arnold reaches Class AAA, dominates, gets on Yolo County radar for 2027.
29. Colorado Rockies (-1)
- Hunter Goodman earns universal acclaim for throwing Doug Eddings under the bus.
30. Los Angeles Angels (-1)
- Stan Kroenke sees No. 30 power ranking, thinks, "This is a perfect buy-low situation."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: Guardians trying to walk-off their way to playoffs
