Sep 23, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Hunter Gaddis (33) reacts at the end of the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images David Richard-Imagn Images

Guardians Set To Erase Yankees From Record Book

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Michael Rosenstein | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Cleveland Guardians are poised to top a record set by the New York Yankees almost 50 years ago.

The Guardians beat the Tigers, 5-2, on Tuesday to pull into a first-place tie with Detroit in the American League Central.

"Aug. 25: Detroit holds a 12.5-game lead over Cleveland," ESPN's Jeff Passan posted on X.

"Sept. 23: The Guardians beat the Tigers to tie them atop the AL Central — and now own the tiebreaker, too.

"One of the great surges and collapses we’ve ever seen, all over the course of less than a month," Passan concluded.

"The Cleveland Guardians now lead the AL Central," MLB.com's Jon Morosi noted on X.

"If the Guardians win the Central, their 15-1/2 game deficit will be the largest overcome to win a division in history, per research," Morosi concluded.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale noted the Guardians trailed the Tigers by 15 1/2 games on July 9, 12 1/2 games on Aug. 26 and 9 1/2 games in Sept 10.

"If the Guardians win the division, it would be the greatest comeback in MLB history, eclipsing the Yankees’ 14-game deficit in 1978 to overcome the Boston Red Sox," Nightengale wrote.

New York completed its miracle comeback that year, beating the Red Sox in a one-game playoff at Fenway Park, 5-4.

The clubs finished the regular season tied with identical 99-63 records, leading to the winner-take-all showdown. Yankees shortstop Bucky (bleeping) Dent's back-breaking three-run home run over Fenway Park's Green Monster sealed the deal for New York.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

New York went on to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, giving New York its second straight championship.

As for the Guardians, Nightengale noted Cleveland has gone an MLB-best 43-24 since July 7 to close the gap.

They continue their three-game series with the Tigers at Progressive Field in Cleveland.

FanGraphs gives the Tigers an 80.2% chance of making the playoffs, but just a 42.9% chance of winning the division title. The Guardians have an 80.0% chance of reaching the postseason and a 57.1% chance of claiming the AL Central crown.

The loser of the division title will find itself competing with the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox in the American League Wild Card standings. The Yankees clinched at least a wild card on Tuesday with their 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox.

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