AL Wild Card Race 2019: Analyzing the 3-team race

3. Cleveland Indians (0.5 games back)

The Cleveland Indians have essentially matched the A’s win for win over the past four months. The Tribe is 57-32 since June, while Oakland is 55-32. They’re only separated by a half-game and anything could happen. Both teams are 6-4 for their last ten games, but the Indians are forced to play a much tougher schedule. Their final 16 games of the year include matchups against Minnesota, Philadelphia and Washington.

As they’ve won three AL Central titles in a row, the Indians have made it a habit to start slow in the month of April and finish ridiculously hot in September. That formula has worked quite well as the rest of the division labored through drawn-out rebuilding efforts, but the Twins have taken it to the Indians all year. Barring a total collapse, the Indians have to rely on the Wild Card to get into the postseason this year.

This has been an interesting year for the Indians, who shopped aces Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer last winter. They ultimately decided to keep both, saw Kluber get injured in the first few weeks of the season and then traded Bauer for outfielders Yasiel Puig and Franmil Reyes at the deadline. The deal for Puig and Reyes was heralded at the deadline, but neither has been spectacular in Cleveland. The Indians felt comfortable trading Bauer because they expected Kluber to return in August or September, but the ace suffered a setback in his rehab and is done for the year.

It has been a trying year for the Indians, but they are right there — even without Kluber, Danny Salazar and Jose Ramirez. You can never count out their stable of power arms, but this just doesn’t feel like their year. Give the edge to Tampa Bay and Oakland.