Guardians and Tigers advance to Major League Baseball playoffs, Astros left out

The Cleveland Guardians and the Detroit Tigers clinched playoff spots on Saturday in the final weekend of the Major League Baseball regular season, which featured the first elimination of the Houston Astros since 2016.

In Cleveland, the Guardians beat the Texas Rangers 3x2 with a two-run home run by Puerto Rican Johnathan Rodriguez and capped a mammoth comeback to take the last spot in American League play. With 19 wins in their last 25 games, the Guardians led by Dominican Jose Ramirez could even close out this Sunday in first place in the Central division.

Cleveland and Detroit, same balance

Cleveland provisionally holds that lead with the same balance as the Detroit Tigers, 87 wins and 74 losses, having won the season series. This Saturday, the Tigers secured at least their second playoff appearance with a 2-for-1 win in Boston against the Red Sox.

The Guardians’ and Tigers’ berths meant the elimination of the Astros, champions in 2017 and 2022, who had made the playoffs nine straight years.

Mets, on the brink without relying on themselves

In the National League the Reds remained in control of the final wild card spot with a 7x4 win at the Milwaukee Brewers' home field, leaving them with an 83-78 record.

The New York Mets, who have the same record, need a Cincinnati loss at Milwaukee on Sunday to snatch the spot.

On Saturday, the Queens club kept up the pressure with a 5x0 win over the Miami Marlins. Pete Alonso drove in two runs, Puerto Rican Francisco Lindor added another, and Dominican star Juan Soto drew two walks in his three trips to the plate.

A premature elimination would be a huge fiasco for the Mets, who pulled off the big early-season coup by grabbing Soto, the most coveted free agent, handing him a 15-year, $765 million contract.

Yankees and Blue Jays battle for the American League East Division top spot

The other battle on Sunday will be between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays, both with a 93-68 record, for the lead in the American League East division.

The Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5x1 and remain in the lead by tiebreaker criteria. Mexico's Alejandro Kirk contributed a home run to Toronto's win and compatriot Jonathan Aranda also hit it out of the park for the Rays, his second straight home run after being sidelined for nearly two months with a wrist injury.

In New York, the Yankees kept pace with Toronto by beating the Baltimore Orioles 6-1. Aaron Judge opened the scoring with a first-inning homer and now has four in his last four games. The California slugger has 53 home runs this season, trailing only Shohei Ohtani’s 54 (Dodgers), Kyle Schwarber’s 56 (Phillies), and Cal Raleigh’s 60 (Mariners).

Backing Judge, veteran Giancarlo Stanton stayed hot with a second-inning homer. The California native, who had already hit two homers Friday, has driven in nine runs over his last three games.