The American League Central is shaping up to be a tight race between the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins. The Chicago White Sox are hanging around as well. The three teams are separated by less than 5 games as of this story's publication. The month of September is going to be crucial in determining the winner of this division. But the fact of the matter is that the AL Central is the Guardians' division for the taking.

Let's take a look at 3 reasons Cleveland will win the division.

Guardians pitching tops Twins, White Sox

The Cleveland Guardians feature the best all-around pitching staff in the division. Cleveland ranks 8th in team ERA and 5th in WHIP. Their starting rotation hasn't been as dominant as it had been in past seasons, but this is still a quality pitching staff.

Shane Bieber has an ERA hovering right around the 3 mark. He's the ace of this team and someone Terry Francona feels comfortable relying on.

Triston McKenzie is in the midst of a breakout 2022 campaign. He still loses control of the strike zone from time to time. But when Mckenzie is on top of his game, he is a very difficult pitcher to square up anything against.

Cal Quantrill has proven to be a capable option in the rotation as well. He is the X-Factor on this team.

Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac have dealt with their share of struggles. But they aren't bad No. 4 and 5 options for a pitching rotation.

Meanwhile, the Guardians' bullpen is led by arguably the best closer in baseball in Emmanuel Clase. He is on the same level as New York Mets' elite closer Edwin Diaz right now.

James Karinchak has stepped up as a vital 8th inning option for the Guardians. And the rest of this bullpen has gotten the job done for the most part.

The Twins and White Sox pitching staffs do not compare to that of Cleveland's.

Cleveland's pesky lineup

The 2022 Cleveland Guardians don't feature much in the way of power. Outside of Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor, the team does not have many consistent long ball threats. As a result, this ball club ranks 29th in total home runs.

But they make up for it with their pesky style of play. The Guardians put the ball in play and don't strikeout much. Their 10th overall ranking in team batting average displays their ability to put the bat on the ball. Opposing defenses can't afford to relax when facing Cleveland. If they make any lapses, the Guardians will take advantage.

Additionally, they have a number of speed threats. Myles Straw, Andres Gimenez, Steven Kwan, Amed Rosario, and even Jose Ramirez all feature plus-speed.

The Guardians lineup does not dominate opposing pitchers. But they will wear them down and spark numerous rallies.

Guardians' flair for the dramatic

Every MLB playoff team typically has a number of special moments. For Cleveland, that has held true.

Josh Naylor has developed a reputation as an extremely clutch hitter for the Guardians. In a game earlier this season, the Guardians trailed the White Sox by 6 runs late in a game in Chicago. But they came all the way back and ultimately won the game. But it was Naylor who stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in a four-run game in the 9th against Liam Hendriks. Naylor promptly clubbed a grand slam to tie the game. He later homered in extra innings.

And that was the moment the Guardians knew they had an opportunity to win this division. After all, the White Sox were heavy preseason favorites.

Other players such as Steven Kwan and Andres Gimenez have made improbable plays to help Cleveland win games. The Guardians play an exciting brand of baseball. Their flair for the dramatic will serve them well down the stretch.