The American League Central division race might be baseball's most fascinating final-week showdown.
The Cleveland Guardians head into the final week of the season leading the division by a mere one game. The Chicago White Sox, however, own the season tiebreaker, which means Cleveland must finish at least one game better than Chicago in order to claim its third consecutive crown.
With six games remaining for each club, every result could swing the race. Here's a look at the latest AL Central standings, remaining schedules and playoff tiebreaker scenarios heading into the final week of the regular season.
AL Central standings
- e-eliminated from playoff contention
AL Central schedule
Cleveland Guardians schedule
- Sept. 22-24: at Boston Red Sox (84-72)
- Sept. 25-27: at Kansas City Royals (67-89)
Chicago White Sox schedule
- Sept. 22-24: at Kansas City Royals (67-89)
- Sept. 25-27: vs. Colorado Rockies (57-99)
What happens if Guardians and White Sox finish tied?
The White Sox won the season series 7-6, which gives them the head-to-head tiebreaker. If the teams finish with identical records, Chicago would
win the AL Central title, and Cleveland would fall into the wild-card race.
AL Central magic numbers
- The Guardians' magic number to clinch the division is 6. They have a magic number of 3 to clinch a playoff berth.
- The White Sox's magic number to clinch the division is 7. They have a magic number of 4 to clinch a playoff berth.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AL Central standings: Guardians, White Sox locked in tight division race
