The Cleveland Guardians secured their second AL Central championship in three years after the Kansas City Royals suffered a 9-0 defeat against the San Francisco Giants. The Guardians, led by José Ramírez, had already clinched a postseason berth by securing at least an American League wild card spot with a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins earlier in the week.
Needing either a win against the St. Louis Cardinals or a Kansas City loss to seal the division title, Cleveland's fate was decided even before their game against the Cardinals progressed significantly, as the Royals fell to the Giants in a late-afternoon matchup.
This marks the 12th division crown for Cleveland, all of which have been achieved in the AL Central since 1995. The Guardians are currently engaged in a tight competition with the New York Yankees, who lead the AL East, for the top seed in the upcoming American League playoffs. However, Cleveland is on the verge of securing at least the No. 2 seed, which would grant them a first-round bye in the postseason.
With their recent success, the Guardians are poised for a strong playoff run and will look to capitalize on their division title to make a deep postseason push. Fans can expect an exciting conclusion to the regular season as Cleveland aims to solidify their playoff positioning and make a strong bid for the American League championship.
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