Guardians clinch postseason spot with walk-off hit by pitch, complete historic turnaround
September 27, 2025
Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said during the Guardians’ 10-game losing streak in July that things would turn around. The Guardians ended up making one of the biggest turnarounds in baseball history. Cleveland clinched a postseason spot Saturday night with a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers. C.J. Kayfus was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottomg of the ninth inning, forcing home the winning run. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it’s the first time since at least 1920 that a team won on a walk-off hit by pitch to clinch a postseason spot. The Guardians are the first American League team to reach the playoffs after having a 10-game losing streak during the season.