Guardians secure first-round bye in playoffs following dominant win against Reds

The Cleveland Guardians secured a first-round bye in the postseason after defeating the Cincinnati Reds 6-1 on Tuesday night. Lane Thomas led the Guardians with a two-run homer and three RBIs, while Josh Naylor contributed two RBIs to the victory. Tanner Bibee pitched a stellar game, allowing just one run on four hits over seven innings to secure his first home win since July 19. The victory improved the Guardians’ home record to an AL-best 49-28.
Cleveland will now enjoy a well-deserved five-day break before their division series begins on October 5 at Progressive Field. This win also marked the debut of interim manager Freddie Benavides for the Reds, who took over after the dismissal of David Bell. Benavides, with previous minor league managerial experience, expressed excitement about the opportunity to lead the team.
In the game, Spencer Steer of the Reds had an RBI single, driving in Tyler Stephenson, while leadoff hitter Jonathan India took a hit to the helmet from a pitch but continued playing for two more innings. Carson Spiers started for the Reds, giving up three runs over four innings, with Ian Gibaut making his first major league appearance since 2023 in relief.
On the injury front, Reds’ pitcher Julian Aguiar was placed on the injured list due to a right elbow sprain, and Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan is expected to return from mid-back inflammation soon. Looking ahead, the Reds’ Jakob Junis will face the Guardians’ Joey Cantillo in the series finale.
The matchup promises to be an exciting one as both teams look to finish strong heading into the postseason. The Guardians will aim to carry their momentum into the playoffs as they chase a deep run in the postseason.