Sep 20, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges (27) and pitcher Zak Kent (61) celebrate their teams win against the Minnesota Twins after game two of a double header at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Guardians Trying To Break Yankees Record

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Michael Rosenstein | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 10:00 AM ET

So you're saying there's a chance? The Cleveland Guardians' 10-game winning streak is over but the club remains in contention to erase the New York Yankees from the record book.

The Guardians sit just one game back in the American League Central heading into the final week of the regular season and are poised to catch the first-place Detroit Tigers.

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.

Any Yankees fan can tell you the tale of the 1978 Yankees, whose comeback included an emphatic beatdown of Boston over a four-game series in September of that year. New York outscored the Red Sox, 42-9, in what become known as the "Boston Massacre."

The clubs finished the regular season tied with identical 99-63 records, leading to a one-game playoff, highlighted by Yankees shortstop Bucky (bleeping) Dent popping a back-breaking three-run home run over Fenway Park's Green Monster.

Who can forget the image of future Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski literally slumping as he watched Dent's homer sail into the net. Yastrzemski also made the last out in the 5-4 win, letting the Yankees claim the AL East division title.

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 42-24 since July 7 to close the gap.

And here's the best part: the Guardians welcome the Tigers to Cleveland on Tuesday for what could be a make-or-break three-game series. FanGraphs gives Detroit a 63% chance of holding off the Guardians for the division title.

This year's Yankees club also is chasing a division title, with New York trailing the Toronto Blue Jays by two games in the AL East.

The Yankees open a six-game homestand Tuesday to close out the regular season with a pair of last-place teams visiting the Bronx: the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox.

The Blue Jays, who have already clinched a playoff spot, also have a six-game homestand to finish the season, beginning with a three-game series Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox.

The Yankees have a three-game lead over the Red Sox for the top spot in the AL Wild Card standings.

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