Tigers clinch playoff berth after late-season surge; AL Central crown still undecided
Detroit earns a postseason berth with a 2-1 win at Fenway, moving atop the AL Central as the division title remains unresolved heading into the final day.
The Detroit Tigers clinched a playoff berth with a 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Saturday night, powered by Jahmai Jones' two-run single in the fifth inning. Detroit's win solidified its postseason status and moved the club atop the American League Central standings, one-half game ahead of Cleveland with two games remaining in the regular season.
The triumph left Detroit in prime position to win the division if Cleveland loses either of its last two games. A Tigers win on Sunday, paired with a Guardians defeat, would seal the AL Central title for Detroit. Cleveland, meanwhile, faced a late-night test against the Texas Rangers; the Guardians were tied 2-2 in the ninth when Cleveland infield CJ Kayfus was hit by a pitch, loading the bases and creating a window for a potential game-winning run.
The Tigers were without several regulars in Saturday's lineup, including Alex Bregman, Jarren Duran and Trevor Story, but still controlled the game from the fifth inning on. Jones' two-run single in the fifth provided all the scoring for Detroit, and the bullpen held firm in the late innings.
Manager A.J. Hinch called the late charge "a crazy ride," but said the team deserved credit for sticking with the process through a challenging stretch. "Kind of a crazy ride, but it's well worth it," Hinch said after the win, noting the resilience shown by players during the season's downturn and the push to finish strong.
The Tigers' late-season surge marks a dramatic reversal of fortunes from a season that began with high hopes. Detroit led the division by 14 games in July, only to see that advantage shrink to 9½ games by early September. A brutal stretch of 12 losses in 14 games dropped them into a tie with Cleveland, with the Guardians holding the tiebreaker in the event of a deadlock. The final two games of the season are critical for both teams.
Detroit will conclude the regular season Sunday with the final game of their three-game series in Boston, a closing chapter that will determine not only the division outcome but whether the Tigers head to the postseason as division winner or as a wild-card entrant. The road to this point has been bumpy, but the clubhouse celebration has already begun.
The celebration carried into the night, with champagne and beer flowing as players and staff toasted their latest accomplishment. Owner and CEO Chris Ilitch was seen being doused with beer during the postgame celebration.
