After a one-year sojourn to the middle of the AL Central standings, the Cleveland Guardians have roared back to contention in 2024. At the All-Star break, oddsmakers from Bet365 Ohio Sportsbook list the Guardians sixth in World Series odds, at +1400. Thy lead the American League Central by 4.5 games and are favored to win the division at -175 odds, ahead of the second-place Minnesota Twins (+175).
Utilizing ChampsorChumps.us, BetOhio.com gathered the divisional leaders of each MLB division over the past 3 previous seasons (2021 to 2023) at the MLB All-Star break. We then dissected how that team ended up finishing the season.
BetOhio.com researched the past three MLB seasons (2021 to 2023), via ChampsorChumps.us, to see how the leaders of each division at the MLB All-Star break wound up finishing the season. See our Cleveland Guardians playoff chances as the postseason gets closer.
Performance of Division Leaders At MLB All-Star Break
Situation | Number of Teams | Percentage* |
Won The Division | 10 of 18 | 55.6% |
Made the MLB Playoffs | 13 of 18 | 72.2% |
Made the Championship Series | 5 of 18 | 27.8% |
Made the World Series | 3 of 18 | 16.7% |
Won the World Series | 2 of 18 | 11.1% |
*Rounded to nearest whole number
The Guardians, under first-year manager Stephen Vogt, have the best record in the American League at the All-Star break at 58-37 (a .611 winning percentage) and are on pace for 99 wins. Their winning percentage is second in MLB, behind the Philadelphia Phillies (62-34, .646) and ahead of the Baltimore Orioles (58-38, .604). That sets the stage for a fall to remember in the Buckeye State and likely postseason wagering at Ohio sports betting sites on the home team.
Can Guardians Capture Another AL Central Title in 2024?
Since 2016, Cleveland has won the AL Central four times, including three seasons in a row between 2016 and 2018, before doing it all again in 2022 by going 92-70 (.568) in the final season under legendary manager Terry Francona.
Last year, Cleveland sputtered to a 76-86 (.469) finish, their worst 162-game finish since going 68-94 (.420) in 2012. The Guardians were 45-45 (.500) at the break in 2023 before faltering.
The Guardians’ 31-41 (.431) post-ASG record tanked their chance of making the postseason for the third time in four years. But Cleveland appears set for playoff return for backers at Ohio sportsbook apps in 2024.
How Recent Division Leaders Have Fared
We researched the past three full seasons (since 2021) to see how the 18 division leaders at the All-Star break finished the season. Ten of those teams (or 55.6%) hung on to win said division and 13 (72.2%) made the postseason.
Two of the 18 division leaders (11.1%) heading into the Midsummer Classic won it all that season and one other lost in the Series. Five of those 18 teams (27.8%) reaching the League Championship Series.
The Guardians will look to pick up where they left off with the first game of the second half, Friday against the San Diego Padres. Cleveland looks dead set on making a deep postseason run this fall and folks using the best Ohio sportsbook promos can sign up to wager on the action.
USA Today photo by David Richard
