After securing their ticket to the postseason and the AL Central title this week, there is one more goal on the checklist: getting one of the two best records in the American League.

That would grant them a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Their magic number for that particular objective became two on Sunday, even despite their loss: that’s because the Houston Astros, which own the third-best record in the junior circuit, also lost.

“Guardians lose, Astros lose. Magic number to clinch the two seed falls to 2. If ANY of these things happen, the Guardians clinch: W in both games vs. Reds; Astros lose the series vs. Mariners; Win ONE game vs. Reds, Astros lose ONE game vs. Mariners; Win ONE game vs. Astros,” Always the Jake posted on X.

The Guardians will start a short two-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, and then will finish out the regular season with a three-game set against the Astros.

The Astros still have a chance to nab one of those two spots for the bye, but the Guardians and the New York Yankees both have a comfortable lead and look like the favorites to start their postseason journey in the Division Series rather than the Wild Card round.

The ideal scenario for the Guardians would be to secure the bye in the series against the Reds.

Bye or no bye, it has been an amazing season by the Guards, a stark contrast to what they did in 2023 when they failed to make it to the postseason.