Guardians Magic Number: Games remaining to clinch playoff berth (Updated Sept. 24)

It has been an up-and-down second half of the 2024 season for the Cleveland Guardians. Ever since play resumed following the All-Star Break, the Guardians have had some trouble finding consistency, which has even resulted in momentarily losing first place in the surprisingly competitive American League Central division.

Guardians magic number: How many games to clinch a playoff berth

A team's magic number refers to how close it is to securing a playoff spot or winning the division, per MLB.com's definition. It's the combination of wins needed by a team and the closest team's losses.

Cleveland winning or the second-place team in the AL Central (Kansas City) losing will result in their magic number decreasing. As long as this continues, the Guardians should have no trouble qualifying for the postseason sooner rather than later.

For example, the basic formula to calculate the Guardians' magic number for the AL Central is:163 - Guardians wins - second place team's losses.

The Guardians' magic number for the AL Central is 0

Following the events that took place on Saturday, the Cleveland Guardians have won the American League Central.

The Guardians magic number for a playoff berth is 0

The Cleveland Guardians secured a spot in the 2024 MLB Postseason with a win on Thursday.

The Guardians magic number for a first round bye is 0

The Cleveland Guardians have secured a first-round bye in the 2024 American League playoffs. The only thing left for the Guardians to do is keep winning in an attempt to get the number one overall seed in the AL, With four games remaining on their schedule and trailing the New York Yankees by 1.5 games, it is a tough, but not impossible task for a team that has defied the odds all season long.