CLEVELAND -- After Tuesday night's matchup against the Texas Rangers was rained out, the Cleveland Indians will spend Wednesday playing an old fashioned day-night doubleheader.
Ironically, playing two games in the span of just a few hours might be the Tribe's best chance to catch a breath for the next week.
While every game at this point in the season is meaningful -- especially for a team engaged in a pennant race -- you'd be hard-pressed to find a stretch on Cleveland's schedule more important than the next 11 days. After facing the Rangers twice on Wednesday, the Indians will head to Minnesota for a four-game series with the Twins, who they currently trail by 3.5 games in the American League Central.
After its pivotal four-game series in the Twin Cities, Cleveland will return home for a three-game set with the Boston Red Sox before heading to the Bronx for four games with the New York Yankees. Add it all up and the Indians' next 11 games come against three teams who lay claim to a combined 204-138 record, including two of the American League's best three teams.
In other words, when the Indians face the New York Mets (who have won 12 of their last 13 games) on Aug. 20, they could either be leading their division or essentially out of the race.
Cleveland's upcoming stretch could also have implications for its standing in the American League Wild Card race, where it currently holds a 1.5 game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays and a 2-game lead over the Oakland Athletics for the top spot. In that regard, next week's three-game stand with the Red Sox could be particularly important, with the defending World Series champions currently 6.5 games back of what is likely their only shot of returning to postseason play.
Fortunately for the Indians, they enter their upcoming stretch playing some of their best baseball of the season -- despite suffering a 1-0 loss to the Rangers on Monday. Since June 1, Cleveland has amassed an MLB-best 37-17 record, gaining eight games on the Twins in its quest for a fourth straight A.L. Central crown.
With the additions of Yasiel Puig and Franmil Reyes at the MLB Trade Deadline beefing up the middle of their batting order and Jose Ramirez and Jason Kipnis each overcoming early-season slumps, the Indians' offense is now more potent than it's been at any other point in the season. The emergence of rookie Zach Plesac has helped steady a pitching staff that's been depleted by injuries -- and could soon return Corey Kluber -- while Cleveland's bullpen lays claim to an MLB-best 3.24 ERA.
Nevertheless, despite everything the Indians have accomplished -- and overcome -- to this point in the year, figuring out their postseason positioning could be as simple as how they fare in their next 13 games (counting Wednesday's double-header).
As one Wednesday, Cleveland is one of the hottest teams in baseball. It will need to stay that way for the next week to capitalize on the opportunity that has presented.