DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers have fumbled away their massive lead in the AL Central Division, but they still have a chance to make the playoffs via the wildcard.
The Tigers currently trail the Guardians by one game in the Central, but they also lost the head-to-head tiebreaker and, frankly, don’t have much of a chance to bounce back and reclaim the division over the next four days.
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Cleveland gets to finish the season with three home games against the Rangers, who have been eliminated from playoff contention. Meanwhile, the Tigers have to go to Fenway Park for three against the Red Sox, who currently sit in the second wildcard spot and have plenty to play for.
So let’s just assume the Tigers aren’t winning the AL Central -- which is mind blowing considering they once had a 14-game lead (and a 15.5-game lead over Cleveland). But I digress.
Detroit currently sits in the third and final AL wildcard spot, and the only team that can catch up is Houston.
Right now, Detroit’s magic number to clinch that final playoff spot is down to three.
The Astros lost to the Athletics each of the past two nights while the Tigers were floundering at Progressive Field, so the Tigers have managed to inch closer to the postseason despite an eight-game losing streak.
So any combination of Tigers wins and Astros losses that adds up to three in the final four games would put the Tigers in the playoffs.
As the No. 6 seed. To play the first round in -- you guessed it! -- Cleveland.
*Sigh.* One problem at a time.
The Tigers play one more game in that House of Horrors in Cleveland before heading to Boston for three. Meanwhile, the Astros finish up their series against the Athletics on Thursday afternoon before heading out to Los Angeles for three against the lowly Angels.
The Angels are in last place and have lost 10 of 12, so the Tigers will likely have to take care of business themselves.
Fortunately, because they won four of six meetings with Houston this season, the Tigers can afford to finish tied for the final wildcard spot. They would get in over the Astros.
Otherwise, the magic number would be four -- and for how the Tigers are playing this month, that seems insurmountable.