Soaked to the skin from being sprayed with Champagne and beer, manager Stephen Vogt stood in the middle of the clubhouse and triumphantly lifted a fake jeweled championship belt over his head like a conquering boxer.
Cleveland will fight for a real one in October.
Led by their 39-year-old rookie manager, who has pushed all the right buttons for months, and a superb bullpen, the Guardians clinched one of the AL's six playoff spots on Thursday with a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins - Cleveland's major league-leading 42nd comeback.
A most unexpected season will include a postseason.
One of baseball's youngest teams can end decades of playoff heartbreak for a franchise enduring baseball's longest active World Series title drought.
